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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. hand — in cards
  3. rock — music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. board — to get on
  6. bear — the animal
  7. board — a committee
  8. bear — the animal
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rock — a stone
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rush — hurry
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — the fish

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