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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. snap — to click
  5. court — for sport
  6. ground — the earth
  7. suit — to fit
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a path
  12. board — a committee
  13. ground — crushed
  14. track — a song
  15. court — of law
  16. suit — clothes
  17. court — of a king
  18. board — to get on
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. ground — a position
  21. deal — to handle
  22. suit — in cards
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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