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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 120 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 felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. game — a match
  8. chest — of your body
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. game — wild animals
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. board — a committee
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. mine — for digging
  24. board — to get on

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