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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: drill · deal · bat · roll · object · board · leaves · stick

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. roll — a list
  3. board — a committee
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. board — to get on
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. object — an aim
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bat — the animal
  13. roll — a cake
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. drill — army training
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. deal — to handle
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. drill — the tool
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — to protest

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