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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bore — to tire
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. net — for catching
  9. board — to get on
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. tube — a container
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. board — a committee
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. bore — to drill
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wind — moving air
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — in sport
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. tube — the underground

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