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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. mug — a face
  3. firm — decided
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. key — for a lock
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. key — in music
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. board — to get on
  15. cold — an illness
  16. mug — to rob
  17. firm — a company
  18. board — a committee
  19. mug — a cup
  20. row — to paddle
  21. row — a line
  22. key — the most important part
  23. cold — not warm
  24. firm — steady

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