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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. can — to be able to
  3. cell — in biology
  4. firm — a company
  5. craft — boats
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. board — to get on
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. craft — a skill
  12. firm — steady
  13. can — a tin
  14. cell — a phone
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — clever
  17. mark — a trace
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. mark — a grade
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. firm — decided
  24. can — a tin

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