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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. track — to keep track
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. can — a tin
  5. game — a match
  6. track — a song
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — to rob
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. game — wild animals
  14. board — a committee
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. board — to get on
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cell — a phone
  20. cell — in biology
  21. mug — a cup
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. track — a path

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