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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. board — to get on
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. mug — a cup
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mark — a grade
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — in golf
  11. spell — letters
  12. mark — a trace
  13. band — a music group
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. spell — magic
  20. swing — music
  21. spell — a short time
  22. band — a ring
  23. board — a committee
  24. mug — a face

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