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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. club — a group
  3. bulb — for light
  4. chest — of your body
  5. mate — a partner
  6. club — for golf
  7. row — to paddle
  8. mate — to breed
  9. board — a committee
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — to get on
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. bore — to tire
  15. club — for dancing
  16. cue — a hint
  17. row — a line
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chest — of your body
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. cue — a signal
  24. chest — a box

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