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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. object — a thing
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. net — after costs
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. net — for catching
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bulb — for light
  12. object — to protest
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. roll — a list
  15. board — a committee
  16. object — an aim
  17. net — in sport
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. roll — a cake
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mate — a friend
  22. row — a line
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. roll — on a roll

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