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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. snap — to click
  3. present — there
  4. net — in sport
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. board — a committee
  7. suit — clothes
  8. drill — the tool
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. suit — to fit
  12. drill — army training
  13. net — after costs
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. present — a gift
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. suit — in cards
  20. present — the time now
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. chest — a box
  23. chest — of your body
  24. net — for catching

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