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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. court — of a king
  4. board — a committee
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. chip — for betting
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. march — the month
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. board — to get on
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. march — music
  16. current — electric
  17. court — of law
  18. pound — a weight
  19. march — the month
  20. current — of water
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. current — happening now
  23. court — for sport
  24. straw — dry grass

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