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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. board — a committee
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fine — all right
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. fine — high quality
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. deal — to handle
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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