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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.

Make a worksheet

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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. rest — a break
  3. board — a committee
  4. row — to paddle
  5. band — a ring
  6. object — an aim
  7. row — a line
  8. rest — what's left
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. object — a thing
  13. season — in sport
  14. drill — a practice
  15. tube — the underground
  16. drill — army training
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. rest — what's left
  21. tube — a container
  22. band — a music group
  23. object — to protest
  24. season — of the year

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