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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. present — the time now
  3. net — after costs
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. craft — a skill
  7. net — in sport
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. drill — the tool
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. drill — a practice
  12. board — to get on
  13. net — for catching
  14. cell — in biology
  15. suit — to fit
  16. craft — boats
  17. suit — clothes
  18. present — a gift
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. cell — a phone
  21. rush — hurry
  22. present — there
  23. drill — army training
  24. suit — in cards

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