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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. mug — a face
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mug — to rob
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mug — a cup
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a skill
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. board — to get on
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. chip — to eat
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. deal — to handle
  22. chip — for betting
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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