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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. track — a song
  4. board — to get on
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. tube — a container
  8. track — to keep track
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. board — a committee
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ground — the earth
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mate — a friend
  17. ground — a position
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. mate — a partner
  20. track — a path
  21. wake — a trail
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. mate — to breed
  24. ground — crushed

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