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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. race — humankind
  3. present — there
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. tear — from crying
  8. board — to get on
  9. present — a gift
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. tear — from crying
  13. present — the time now
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. race — a contest
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. race — the arms race
  18. perch — the fish
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. dip — to sink
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. tear — to rip

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