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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stock — goods
  5. rock — a stone
  6. cap — a lid
  7. game — a match
  8. suit — to fit
  9. game — wild animals
  10. suit — in cards
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. board — to get on
  13. cap — of ice
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cap — a hat
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — shares
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. board — a committee
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. suit — clothes
  24. rock — music

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