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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. tube — a container
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cap — a lid
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. tube — the underground
  8. cap — a hat
  9. suit — clothes
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bat — the animal
  17. perch — the fish
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. perch — for a bird

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