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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. board — a committee
  3. net — after costs
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. last — finally
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — all right
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. last — final
  12. net — in sport
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. board — to get on
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. last — to go on
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. net — for catching
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a leader

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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