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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. stock — goods
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ground — crushed
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. ground — the earth
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stock — shares
  11. race — humankind
  12. race — the arms race
  13. ground — a position
  14. fall — to drop
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. board — to get on
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. race — a contest
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. fall — the season
  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