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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a committee
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. saw — the tool
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. cue — a hint
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — to bend
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. date — the fruit
  16. mate — a partner
  17. saw — the tool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. lean — thin
  21. perch — the fish
  22. mate — a friend
  23. cue — for pool
  24. mate — to breed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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