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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. season — of the year
  5. tear — from crying
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. board — a committee
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. pit — a hole
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. tear — to rip
  17. pit — in a race
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. chest — of your body
  21. tear — from crying
  22. chest — of your body
  23. board — to get on
  24. season — in sport

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