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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 124 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.

Make a worksheet

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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. deal — to handle
  7. field — a subject
  8. board — a committee
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. field — farmland
  11. rest — what's left
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. field — for sport
  16. board — to get on
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. mouse — the animal

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