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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. board — a committee
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. spring — a coil
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. spring — the season
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. ball — a dance
  12. pit — in a race
  13. board — to get on
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. saw — the tool
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — government
  19. sharp — clever
  20. ball — a great time
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. spring — of water
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. pit — a hole

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