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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. can — a tin
  4. mug — to rob
  5. can — to be able to
  6. board — to get on
  7. scale — size or range
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mug — a face
  10. scale — in music
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. degree — from a university
  13. degree — temperature
  14. mug — a cup
  15. degree — an amount
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. can — a tin
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. fork — in a road
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. board — a committee

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