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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. board — a committee
  3. craft — boats
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — a container
  6. drill — army training
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. tube — the underground
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bulb — for light
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. craft — a skill
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. board — to get on
  24. drill — the tool

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