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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  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. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bear — the animal
  4. drill — a practice
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. board — a committee
  7. hand — in cards
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. club — a group
  14. club — for dancing
  15. drill — army training
  16. object — an aim
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bear — the animal
  19. snap — to click
  20. pit — in a race
  21. drill — the tool
  22. club — for golf
  23. hand — help
  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