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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. board — to get on
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. board — a committee
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. track — to keep track
  9. kid — to tease
  10. charge — electricity
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. sharp — clever
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. kid — child
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. track — a path
  22. track — a song
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. board — a flat piece

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