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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. rash — hasty
  4. mug — a cup
  5. saw — the tool
  6. cue — for pool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. rash — a series
  10. cell — a phone
  11. mug — a face
  12. stock — goods
  13. board — a committee
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cue — a signal
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. board — to get on
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. stock — shares
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. cue — a hint
  22. mug — to rob
  23. saw — the tool
  24. fork — in a road

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