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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 116 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. mark — a trace
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. board — a committee
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. mark — a grade
  10. tube — a container
  11. craft — boats
  12. rock — music
  13. suit — to fit
  14. board — to get on
  15. suit — in cards
  16. squash — the sport
  17. tube — the underground
  18. rock — a stone
  19. saw — the tool
  20. craft — a skill
  21. squash — to crush
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. suit — clothes

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