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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.

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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. present — a gift
  4. fall — to drop
  5. board — a committee
  6. swing — to play on
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bore — to drill
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — for betting
  11. swing — music
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. present — there
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. present — the time now
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bore — to tire
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. swing — in golf
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. fall — the season
  24. fall — to drop

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