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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. squash — the sport
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. squash — to crush
  5. board — to get on
  6. tube — the underground
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. board — a committee
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. present — a gift
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. file — a document
  16. file — a line of people
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. present — there
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. tube — a container
  21. hand — in cards
  22. file — a tool
  23. present — the time now
  24. safe — a strongbox

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