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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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. track — a song
  3. board — to get on
  4. track — to keep track
  5. march — the month
  6. cue — for pool
  7. march — the month
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cue — a signal
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. field — a subject
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. field — for sport
  21. march — music
  22. track — a path
  23. field — farmland
  24. cue — a hint

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