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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. board — a committee
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. last — final
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. stand — to bear
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. last — finally
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. capital — money
  16. capital — a city
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. board — to get on
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pound — a weight
  22. lean — thin
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. last — to go on

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