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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 120 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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. board — a committee
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. sharp — clever
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. board — to get on
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — music
  14. tube — the underground
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. band — a ring
  18. suit — to fit
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. suit — in cards
  22. tube — a container
  23. band — a music group
  24. band — a rubber band

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