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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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. mouse — the animal
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. file — a document
  7. object — a thing
  8. file — a tool
  9. pit — a hole
  10. cue — a hint
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. net — after costs
  13. object — to protest
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. net — in sport
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — a committee
  20. cue — for pool
  21. file — a line of people
  22. mine — for digging
  23. net — for catching
  24. object — an aim

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