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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pit — in a race
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. board — a committee
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. board — to get on
  10. ground — crushed
  11. pit — a hole
  12. ground — a position
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — the amount
  17. sharp — clever
  18. content — happy
  19. ground — the earth
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. mouse — the animal

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