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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 120 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. dip — to sink
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — to get on
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. plane — a tool
  10. stand — to bear
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. charge — a price
  16. rush — hurry
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. charge — in control
  20. wake — a trail
  21. board — a committee
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. charge — electricity

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