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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. board — a committee
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — in cards
  7. rock — a stone
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. last — finally
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. last — to go on
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. last — final
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. snap — to click
  22. hand — help
  23. rock — music
  24. board — to get on

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