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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. firm — a company
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. club — for golf
  9. firm — steady
  10. board — a committee
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. wound — an injury
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. game — wild animals
  17. suit — clothes
  18. firm — decided
  19. rock — music
  20. club — for dancing
  21. wound — an injury
  22. rock — a stone
  23. game — a match
  24. club — a group

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