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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. can — to be able to
  4. spring — of water
  5. can — a tin
  6. spell — letters
  7. staff — employees
  8. mug — a cup
  9. staff — a stick
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — a short time
  13. object — an aim
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. can — a tin
  17. spring — the season
  18. object — a thing
  19. mug — a face
  20. spring — a coil
  21. rush — hurry
  22. staff — employees
  23. object — to protest
  24. mug — to rob

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