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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. last — finally
  4. board — to get on
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. firm — steady
  8. rush — hurry
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. last — to go on
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. fork — in a road
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. firm — a company
  16. game — a match
  17. firm — decided
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. last — final
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. game — wild animals
  24. trunk — of a car

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