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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rock — music
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — a committee
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mine — for digging
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rock — a stone
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. board — to get on
  22. dip — to sink
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. jam — a tight spot

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