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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a committee
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. wind — moving air
  8. suit — in cards
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. leaves — to go away

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