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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bore — to tire
  3. mug — to rob
  4. rock — a stone
  5. capital — money
  6. chest — a box
  7. chest — of your body
  8. mug — a face
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. sharp — clever
  12. rock — music
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. board — a committee
  16. bore — to drill
  17. capital — a city
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. chest — of your body
  24. rock — to move gently

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