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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. staff — employees
  3. board — a committee
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. present — there
  7. staff — employees
  8. rush — hurry
  9. present — a gift
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. present — the time now
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. perch — the fish
  15. field — farmland
  16. ball — a great time
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. field — a subject
  20. staff — a stick
  21. field — for sport
  22. ball — a dance
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

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