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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. current — electric
  4. scale — size or range
  5. ball — a dance
  6. spell — magic
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. present — a gift
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. board — to get on
  13. current — of water
  14. scale — in music
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. present — there
  18. spell — letters
  19. board — a committee
  20. present — the time now
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. spell — a short time
  23. current — happening now
  24. ball — a great time

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