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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — in sport
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. fall — to drop
  9. board — to get on
  10. spring — of water
  11. net — after costs
  12. spring — a coil
  13. rash — a series
  14. fall — to drop
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. spring — the season
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. board — a committee
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — to bear
  24. mark — to pay attention

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