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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — a cake
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. chip — for betting
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. board — to get on
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stock — shares
  24. coach — a trainer

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