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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 120 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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. board — to get on
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. cap — of ice
  8. game — wild animals
  9. cap — a lid
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cap — a hat
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fine — all right
  21. game — a match
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. fine — high quality
  24. cabinet — ministers

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