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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. row — to paddle
  3. board — a committee
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. spell — magic
  7. game — wild animals
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. row — a line
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. pound — a weight
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. board — to get on
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — a short time
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. toast — bread
  21. game — a match
  22. saw — the tool
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. stand — for spectators

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