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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. last — finally
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. key — the most important part
  7. chair — a leader
  8. bear — the animal
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. key — for a lock
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. object — to protest
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. board — a committee
  16. last — final
  17. toast — bread
  18. last — to go on
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — a thing
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. key — in music
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bear — the animal

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