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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. mug — to rob
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. mug — a face
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. mug — a cup
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. file — a tool
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. file — a document
  17. rock — music
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. date — the fruit
  22. rock — a stone
  23. board — a committee
  24. file — a line of people

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