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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rock — music
  4. board — a committee
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. squash — the sport
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bound — certain
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bound — obliged
  16. rock — a stone
  17. fine — all right
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. stem — to come from
  20. board — to get on
  21. fine — high quality
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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