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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bound — certain
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bulb — for light
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. suit — clothes
  11. board — to get on
  12. hand — help
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bound — tied together
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mark — a grade
  22. hand — in cards
  23. bound — obliged
  24. coach — a trainer

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