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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. field — for sport
  8. can — to be able to
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. field — farmland
  12. board — to get on
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. field — a subject
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — the tool
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. drill — army training
  20. can — a tin
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. can — a tin

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