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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. board — a committee
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. content — happy
  10. board — to get on
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. sharp — clever
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. content — the amount
  24. foot — the bottom

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