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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 116 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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. game — a match
  4. board — to get on
  5. suit — to fit
  6. present — there
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. last — finally
  9. stand — to bear
  10. suit — in cards
  11. present — the time now
  12. suit — clothes
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. tube — a container
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. last — to go on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. tube — the underground
  21. present — a gift
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. game — wild animals
  24. board — a committee

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