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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. chest — of your body
  3. present — the time now
  4. chest — a box
  5. board — to get on
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. pound — a weight
  12. march — the month
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. present — there
  16. march — music
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. chest — of your body
  20. present — a gift
  21. snap — to click
  22. march — the month
  23. board — a committee
  24. mark — a grade

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