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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. game — wild animals
  3. rash — a series
  4. wake — a trail
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. game — a match
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mark — a trace
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. fork — in a road
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mark — a grade
  18. rash — hasty
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. rash — on the skin

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