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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 116 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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  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 — to get on
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pop — to visit
  4. tube — the underground
  5. pop — soda
  6. staff — employees
  7. spring — of water
  8. firm — a company
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. spring — a coil
  11. staff — employees
  12. tube — a container
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. spring — the season
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. board — a committee
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. pop — music
  22. staff — a stick
  23. firm — decided
  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