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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. row — to paddle
  3. fine — all right
  4. mug — a face
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. board — a committee
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. board — to get on
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. fine — high quality
  13. mug — to rob
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. mug — a cup
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. capital — a city
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rush — hurry
  22. row — a line
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. capital — money

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