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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've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. kid — to tease
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cue — a signal
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. deal — to handle
  8. cue — a hint
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. board — a committee
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. stand — to bear
  15. kid — child
  16. cue — for pool
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. board — to get on
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a trace
  24. deal — an agreement

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