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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — music
  4. pit — a hole
  5. board — a committee
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. firm — a company
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. board — to get on
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. firm — steady
  16. pit — in a race
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bore — to drill
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. firm — decided
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. fork — in a road

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