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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. suit — clothes
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. land — a country
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. land — ground
  15. suit — to fit
  16. land — to come down
  17. suit — in cards
  18. board — to get on

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