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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. clip — to cut
  4. clip — for paper
  5. squash — the sport
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. toast — bread
  9. chair — a leader
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. board — to get on
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. squash — to crush
  18. board — a committee
  19. clip — a video
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. pound — a weight
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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