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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. fine — high quality
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. band — a music group
  5. date — the fruit
  6. object — a thing
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a committee
  9. fine — all right
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. band — a ring
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. object — an aim
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. saw — the tool
  22. object — to protest
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. saw — the tool

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