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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 120 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. board — a committee
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bore — to drill
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. wake — a trail
  7. saw — the tool
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. board — to get on
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. season — in sport
  17. saw — the tool
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bore — to tire
  20. season — of the year
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pit — a hole
  24. foot — a measure

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