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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. rest — what's left
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. board — to get on
  6. roll — a cake
  7. fork — in a road
  8. rest — what's left
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rest — a break
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. roll — a list
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bass — low music
  24. board — a committee

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