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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — letters
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — in a road
  6. wound — an injury
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. tube — the underground
  10. stem — to come from
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. tube — a container
  13. spell — magic
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. firm — a company
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. firm — decided
  22. board — a committee
  23. firm — steady
  24. board — to get on

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