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

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. board — a committee
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. rest — what's left
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rest — a break
  16. board — to get on
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. coach — a trainer

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