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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. net — after costs
  5. scale — size or range
  6. row — to paddle
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. track — to keep track
  9. net — for catching
  10. board — a committee
  11. scale — in music
  12. craft — a skill
  13. track — a song
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. row — a line
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a trace
  19. track — a path
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. mark — a grade
  22. net — in sport
  23. craft — boats
  24. hide — to keep secret

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