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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. field — a subject
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. board — to get on
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. mark — a trace
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bass — low music
  21. field — for sport
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. field — farmland

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