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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 116 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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cell — in biology
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. mark — a grade
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. board — a committee
  9. kick — in football
  10. cell — a phone
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cap — a hat
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. craft — boats
  17. cap — a lid
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. mark — a trace
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. board — to get on
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — a handicraft

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