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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bore — to tire
  5. pass — a permit
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. row — to paddle
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bore — to drill
  12. track — a song
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. track — to keep track
  16. board — a committee
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. spell — a short time
  19. row — a line
  20. track — a path
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. spell — letters
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pass — to succeed

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