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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — a committee
  4. roll — a cake
  5. rest — what's left
  6. cue — for pool
  7. rock — a stone
  8. roll — a list
  9. rest — what's left
  10. lean — to bend
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cue — a signal
  14. rock — music
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. track — to keep track
  17. cue — a hint
  18. board — to get on
  19. lean — thin
  20. track — a song
  21. track — a path
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. rest — a break

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