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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 120 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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. staff — employees
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. file — a document
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. file — a tool
  9. rest — what's left
  10. track — a song
  11. rest — what's left
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. staff — a stick
  16. file — a line of people
  17. wound — an injury
  18. staff — employees
  19. track — a path
  20. wound — an injury
  21. track — to keep track
  22. snap — to click
  23. board — to get on
  24. rest — a break

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