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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — to get on
  3. swing — to play on
  4. staff — a stick
  5. mate — a partner
  6. swing — in golf
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. swing — music
  11. fall — the season
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. staff — employees
  19. fall — to drop
  20. craft — a skill
  21. staff — employees
  22. craft — boats
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. fall — to drop

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