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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. sharp — clever
  4. spell — letters
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. object — an aim
  7. stock — goods
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. board — a committee
  12. spell — a short time
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. spell — magic
  15. object — a thing
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stock — shares
  22. stand — to bear
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. object — to protest

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