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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rock — music
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. pit — in a race
  5. board — to get on
  6. rock — a stone
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. field — a subject
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. spell — letters
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. spell — a short time
  17. field — farmland
  18. field — for sport
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. spell — magic
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. board — a committee
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pit — a hole

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