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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 116 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. board — a committee
  8. spring — a coil
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. spring — the season
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bulb — for light
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. board — to get on
  16. pitch — completely
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bore — to drill
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. spring — of water
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to tire

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