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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — to get on
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bear — the animal
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bear — the animal
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. stem — to come from
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rock — music
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. snap — to click

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