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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. board — a committee
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. shower — to wash
  9. race — humankind
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. lean — to bend
  12. craft — a skill
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. pound — a weight
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. lean — thin
  21. shower — rain
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. craft — boats
  24. race — a contest

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