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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.

Make a worksheet

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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. key — in music
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wound — an injury
  7. key — the most important part
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — to fit
  10. board — a committee
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. board — to get on
  14. wound — an injury
  15. key — for a lock
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. date — the fruit
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. suit — in cards
  21. saw — the tool
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. date — on the calendar

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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