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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. scale — in music
  8. branch — a division
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. file — a document
  12. rush — hurry
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. scale — size or range
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. board — to get on
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. file — a tool
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. file — a line of people

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