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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mark — a trace
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. mark — a grade
  8. board — to get on
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. season — of the year
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mine — for digging
  17. land — to come down
  18. lean — to bend
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. board — a committee
  22. land — ground
  23. land — a country
  24. season — in sport

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