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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 120 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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. mine — for digging
  3. craft — boats
  4. suit — in cards
  5. saw — the tool
  6. suit — to fit
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. saw — the tool
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. craft — a skill
  24. mouse — the animal

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