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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. ball — a dance
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. band — a music group
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. craft — boats
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. board — a committee
  11. wake — a trail
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. craft — a skill
  14. fine — high quality
  15. band — a ring
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. board — to get on
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. lean — thin
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a great time
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — all right
  24. lean — to bend

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