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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. present — there
  5. board — to get on
  6. present — a gift
  7. net — after costs
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a partner
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. net — for catching
  15. board — a committee
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. roll — a cake
  18. mate — a friend
  19. roll — a list
  20. net — in sport
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. present — the time now
  24. rock — music

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