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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. roll — a list
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. track — to keep track
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. cell — in biology
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. object — to protest
  12. foot — a measure
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — obliged
  16. board — a committee
  17. object — a thing
  18. track — a song
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. bound — tied together
  21. track — a path
  22. object — an aim
  23. roll — a cake
  24. cell — a phone

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