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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. pit — in a race
  3. suit — clothes
  4. mug — to rob
  5. suit — in cards
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. mine — for digging
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. board — a committee
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. fork — in a road
  13. suit — to fit
  14. net — for catching
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. net — in sport
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. mug — a face
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pit — a hole
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. net — after costs

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