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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 124 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. wake — a trail
  4. tube — the underground
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. board — to get on
  7. object — an aim
  8. ball — a dance
  9. pit — in a race
  10. ball — a great time
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. board — a committee
  13. object — a thing
  14. bound — certain
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bound — obliged
  17. object — to protest
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. tube — a container
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. wake — before a funeral

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