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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. wind — moving air
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wind — moving air
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. pass — a permit
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. snap — to click
  24. ruler — a monarch

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