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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. stem — to come from
  3. bass — the fish
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. mate — a friend
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. vault — a safe
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. bass — low music
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. stock — shares
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. mate — a partner
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. board — a committee
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. mate — to breed

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