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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.

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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. board — a committee
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. kid — to tease
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. pit — a hole
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. board — to get on
  13. toast — bread
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pit — in a race
  16. kid — child
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. coach — pulled by horses

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