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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pit — a hole
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. board — to get on
  6. roll — a list
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bank — for money
  11. board — a committee
  12. cue — a signal
  13. saw — the tool
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bank — for money
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cue — for pool
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pit — in a race
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cue — a hint
  22. roll — a cake
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bank — of a river

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