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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. field — for sport
  4. saw — the tool
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — to breed
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. root — the cause
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. field — a subject
  16. root — of a plant
  17. field — farmland
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. root — of a word
  24. mate — a partner

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