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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. drill — the tool
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. drill — army training
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. drill — a practice
  9. hand — help
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. track — to keep track
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. track — a path
  18. present — the time now
  19. track — a song
  20. present — a gift
  21. board — a committee
  22. pit — a hole
  23. board — to get on
  24. present — there

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