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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. board — to get on
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. board — a committee
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cue — for pool
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — a country
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bear — the animal
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. chair — a leader
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bulb — for light
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — a signal

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