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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. tube — a container
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. board — a committee
  7. cap — of ice
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — in music
  12. tube — the underground
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rush — hurry
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — a hat
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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