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

Word bank: saw · rash · mine · board · pop · nail · deal · stand

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pop — to visit
  4. rash — hasty
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. saw — the tool
  7. deal — to handle
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. board — to get on
  12. pop — music
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. rash — a series
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. board — a committee
  18. pop — soda
  19. stand — to bear
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. mine — for digging
  24. saw — the tool

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