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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 120 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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. swing — music
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. board — to get on
  8. mug — a face
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. swing — to play on
  12. mug — to rob
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. saw — the tool
  15. shower — to wash
  16. mug — a cup
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. swing — in golf
  23. shower — rain
  24. saw — the tool

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