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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 116 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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. row — a line
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rock — music
  5. wake — a trail
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bound — tied together
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. rock — a stone
  13. kick — in football
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bound — certain
  19. row — to paddle
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. board — to get on
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. kick — with a leg

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