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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. board — a committee
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. board — to get on
  7. wound — an injury
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. mark — a grade
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. season — of the year
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mark — a trace
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — in sport
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mark — to pay attention

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