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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. staff — employees
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. net — after costs
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. staff — employees
  7. rash — hasty
  8. board — to get on
  9. stand — to bear
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. staff — a stick
  14. craft — boats
  15. board — a committee
  16. net — for catching
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. net — in sport
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. rash — a series
  24. craft — a handicraft

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