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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. wound — an injury
  3. row — to paddle
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bulb — for light
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. row — a line
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mark — a grade
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. board — a committee
  24. mark — a trace

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