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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. spring — a coil
  7. spring — the season
  8. pitch — completely
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. snap — to click
  13. charge — a price
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. charge — in control
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. charge — electricity
  21. spring — of water
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. nail — for a hammer

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