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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. race — the arms race
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. pass — a permit
  8. sharp — clever
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. race — a contest
  12. board — a committee
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. pound — a weight
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. board — to get on
  21. race — humankind
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. pass — to succeed

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