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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bear — the animal
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. board — a committee
  9. last — to go on
  10. pit — a hole
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — a thing
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. rest — a break
  15. last — finally
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a match
  21. object — to protest
  22. rest — what's left
  23. last — final
  24. board — to get on

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