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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 120 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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. mark — a trace
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. spell — magic
  5. mark — a grade
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. object — a thing
  9. pound — a weight
  10. court — of law
  11. court — for sport
  12. board — a committee
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. spell — letters
  15. spell — a short time
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. court — of a king
  18. object — to protest
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. object — an aim
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. coach — a trainer

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