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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. board — a committee
  3. pit — a hole
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. fall — the season
  6. net — in sport
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. fall — to drop
  10. net — after costs
  11. pit — in a race
  12. club — for dancing
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. club — a group
  16. lean — thin
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. fall — to drop
  19. club — for golf
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. lean — to bend
  22. board — to get on
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. board — a flat piece

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