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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. mate — to breed
  4. cold — not warm
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mark — a trace
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. rest — what's left
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. board — a committee
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. can — to be able to
  15. mark — a grade
  16. can — a tin
  17. fork — in a road
  18. mate — a friend
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. can — a tin
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cold — an illness
  24. rest — a break

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