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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pit — a hole
  3. board — to get on
  4. staff — a stick
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. suit — in cards
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. suit — to fit
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. board — a committee
  14. staff — employees
  15. pit — in a race
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wake — a trail
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. staff — employees
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. suit — clothes

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