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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. tear — from crying
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. track — a song
  6. tear — to rip
  7. object — to protest
  8. track — a path
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — an aim
  13. pop — music
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. tear — from crying
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. track — to keep track
  21. pop — to visit
  22. board — a committee
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pop — soda

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