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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. saw — the tool
  3. spell — a short time
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. spell — magic
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. board — a committee
  8. squash — the sport
  9. stock — shares
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. spell — letters
  16. stock — goods
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — a company
  19. saw — the tool
  20. board — to get on
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. firm — steady
  23. squash — to crush
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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