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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. ground — crushed
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. board — a committee
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pit — in a race
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. last — to go on
  14. board — to get on
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ground — the earth
  17. last — finally
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. last — final
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. leaves — lets stay

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