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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 116 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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. ball — a dance
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. net — for catching
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. kid — to tease
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. board — a committee
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. stand — to bear
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. ball — a great time
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. kid — child
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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