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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. dip — to sink
  9. row — a line
  10. board — a committee
  11. suit — to fit
  12. fork — in a road
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. row — to paddle
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cell — a phone
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. suit — in cards

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