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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. firm — a company
  3. spring — of water
  4. mug — a face
  5. saw — the tool
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. spring — the season
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. saw — the tool
  12. firm — decided
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. spring — a coil
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. firm — steady
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. mug — to rob
  22. board — a committee
  23. rush — hurry
  24. board — to get on

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