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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. board — to get on
  6. mate — to breed
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. wound — an injury
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. lean — to bend
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. current — electric
  15. current — of water
  16. deal — to handle
  17. current — happening now
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. board — a committee
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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