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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. stock — goods
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bear — the animal
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. board — to get on
  10. bear — the animal
  11. shower — to wash
  12. suit — in cards
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — shares
  16. saw — the tool
  17. shower — rain
  18. saw — the tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com