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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. present — there
  4. present — the time now
  5. row — a line
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. board — to get on
  14. row — to paddle
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. present — a gift
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cue — a hint
  22. board — a committee
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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