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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bound — obliged
  3. field — for sport
  4. tube — the underground
  5. degree — an amount
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. field — a subject
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. scale — size or range
  10. field — farmland
  11. degree — temperature
  12. cue — a hint
  13. degree — from a university
  14. bound — certain
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. bound — tied together
  17. cue — for pool
  18. scale — in music
  19. board — to get on
  20. tube — a container
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. cue — a signal

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