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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. board — to get on
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. court — for sport
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. toast — bread
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. court — of law
  19. board — a committee
  20. sharp — clever
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. rule — government
  23. court — of a king
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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