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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: board · mouse · chair · rock · fork · hide

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. chair — a leader
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fork — in a road
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. board — to get on
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. board — a committee
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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