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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. court — for sport
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. court — of law
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. root — of a plant
  9. capital — money
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. board — to get on
  12. root — of a word
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. court — of a king
  15. board — a committee
  16. mark — a trace
  17. row — to paddle
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. capital — a city
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. root — the cause
  22. mark — a grade
  23. row — a line
  24. mark — to pay attention

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