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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. 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. rock — to move gently
  2. club — a group
  3. rock — music
  4. field — a subject
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bear — the animal
  8. last — to go on
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. club — for dancing
  11. field — farmland
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. last — finally
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bear — the animal
  18. last — final
  19. field — for sport
  20. board — a committee
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. club — for golf
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. 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