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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 120 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. lean — to bend
  3. board — to get on
  4. pop — music
  5. stand — to bear
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. pop — to visit
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. board — a committee
  11. mate — a partner
  12. suit — to fit
  13. shower — to wash
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. suit — clothes
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. pop — soda
  19. craft — a skill
  20. shower — rain
  21. craft — boats
  22. suit — in cards
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. mate — a friend

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