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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. cue — a signal
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mine — for digging
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. mark — a grade
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — for pool
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mark — a trace
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. board — a committee
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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