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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. board — a committee
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. net — after costs
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. board — to get on
  18. net — for catching
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bat — the animal
  21. net — in sport
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bat — for baseball

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