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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. board — to get on
  4. staff — employees
  5. pitch — completely
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. board — a committee
  12. squash — the sport
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. staff — employees
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. track — a path
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. staff — a stick
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. track — a song
  24. board — a flat piece

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