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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 120 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. wound — an injury
  3. pop — music
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bear — the animal
  7. board — a committee
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. firm — steady
  10. pop — soda
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. tube — a container
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. board — to get on
  15. perch — the fish
  16. wound — an injury
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. tube — the underground
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. firm — a company
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. firm — decided

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