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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. squash — to crush
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. spell — letters
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — to get on
  15. spell — a short time
  16. rock — music
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. board — a committee
  19. squash — the sport
  20. spell — magic
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — a trace
  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