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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. charge — electricity
  6. row — to paddle
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. saw — the tool
  10. tube — a container
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — in control
  13. tube — the underground
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. saw — the tool
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. row — a line
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. board — to get on
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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