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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. staff — employees
  3. track — a path
  4. board — to get on
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a song
  12. perch — the fish
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. board — a committee
  16. scale — size or range
  17. staff — employees
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. scale — in music
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. staff — a stick

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