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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. board — a committee
  3. tube — the underground
  4. can — to be able to
  5. tube — a container
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. can — a tin
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fine — all right
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a dance
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. snap — to click
  15. chest — of your body
  16. fine — high quality
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. board — to get on
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. can — a tin
  24. chest — a box

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