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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. field — a subject
  3. board — to get on
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. field — for sport
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. fall — to drop
  12. firm — decided
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. field — farmland
  15. fall — the season
  16. firm — a company
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. board — a committee
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. rock — music
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rock — a stone
  24. firm — steady

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