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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. rash — hasty
  3. board — to get on
  4. perch — the fish
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. hand — help
  9. lean — thin
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. kick — in football
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. lean — to bend
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. board — a committee
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. rash — a series
  24. plane — a tool

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