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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. board — to get on
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. suit — clothes
  6. mug — a face
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. row — to paddle
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bound — tied together
  12. board — a committee
  13. suit — in cards
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. mug — to rob
  17. spell — a short time
  18. row — a line
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bound — certain
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bound — obliged

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