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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ground — a position
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bear — the animal
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. suit — in cards
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. wake — a trail
  15. board — to get on
  16. ground — the earth
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. suit — to fit
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. suit — clothes
  22. ground — crushed
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a hole

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