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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. swing — music
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. board — a committee
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. net — in sport
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. swing — in golf
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. net — after costs
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. ground — a position
  16. net — for catching
  17. board — to get on
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. swing — to play on
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — the earth

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