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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. board — to get on
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bound — tied together
  6. mug — a face
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mug — to rob
  9. rash — a series
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bound — obliged
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. fall — the season
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bound — certain
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — a committee
  19. present — the time now
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rash — hasty
  24. present — a gift

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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