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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a list
  4. rule — government
  5. bulb — for light
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. rule — a law
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bulb — for light
  12. roll — a cake
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. board — a committee
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bulb — of a plant

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