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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: arm · fine · board · bore · mine · kid · mark · wake

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. board — to get on
  3. kid — to tease
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. bore — to tire
  6. mark — a grade
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. mark — a trace
  11. kid — child
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. wake — a trail
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. mine — for digging
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. board — a committee
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. fine — high quality

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