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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. clip — for paper
  4. clip — a video
  5. board — a committee
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. charge — in control
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. swing — music
  14. deal — to handle
  15. charge — electricity
  16. pass — a permit
  17. board — to get on
  18. clip — to cut
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. swing — in golf
  21. swing — to play on
  22. charge — a price
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — shares

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