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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. scale — size or range
  4. board — a committee
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. toast — bread
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. fine — high quality
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. spell — magic
  17. pit — a hole
  18. spell — letters
  19. pit — in a race
  20. scale — in music
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. fine — all right
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. spell — a short time

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