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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bound — obliged
  5. board — a committee
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. net — after costs
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. object — a thing
  11. bound — certain
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bound — tied together
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. board — to get on
  16. net — in sport
  17. object — an aim
  18. kid — child
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pass — a permit
  23. object — to protest
  24. kid — to tease

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