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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. can — to be able to
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. board — to get on
  8. bear — the animal
  9. staff — a stick
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. face — part of the head
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. board — a committee
  16. staff — employees
  17. bore — to tire
  18. face — to confront
  19. face — to point toward
  20. bear — the animal
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. staff — employees
  24. bore — to drill

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