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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. row — a line
  3. staff — a stick
  4. chest — of your body
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — to get on
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — to wash
  9. firm — a company
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. row — to paddle
  12. board — a committee
  13. firm — steady
  14. chest — of your body
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. firm — decided
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. staff — employees
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. chest — a box
  23. staff — employees
  24. bowl — a football final

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