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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. board — to get on
  3. row — a line
  4. suit — to fit
  5. row — to paddle
  6. suit — in cards
  7. mug — to rob
  8. object — an aim
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. mug — a cup
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. board — a committee
  15. object — a thing
  16. cell — a phone
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mug — a face
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. object — to protest
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cell — in biology
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. suit — clothes

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