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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. court — of law
  3. snap — to click
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. present — the time now
  10. board — a committee
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. present — there
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. deal — to handle
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. court — of a king
  20. board — to get on
  21. prune — to trim
  22. court — for sport
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. present — a gift

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