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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. mug — to rob
  3. board — a committee
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. fall — to drop
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fall — to drop
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. board — to get on
  12. mug — a face
  13. season — of the year
  14. fall — the season
  15. season — in sport
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. mug — a cup
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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