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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. club — a group
  6. row — a line
  7. can — a tin
  8. club — for dancing
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. can — to be able to
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. ground — crushed
  14. board — a committee
  15. row — to paddle
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. can — a tin
  18. ground — a position
  19. bore — to drill
  20. cue — for pool
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. club — for golf
  23. ground — the earth
  24. bore — to tire

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