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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. can — a tin
  3. bore — to tire
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. stand — to bear
  7. court — of a king
  8. can — a tin
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bore — to drill
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. court — of law
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. dip — to sink
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. can — to be able to
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. court — for sport
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. board — a committee

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