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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. game — wild animals
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bass — low music
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bass — the fish
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bore — to tire
  14. ball — a great time
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. bear — the animal
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. board — to get on
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. game — a match
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bore — to drill

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