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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. chest — of your body
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. rock — a stone
  11. mark — a grade
  12. rock — music
  13. mark — a trace
  14. fork — in a road
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. chest — of your body
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. chest — a box
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — to bear
  22. board — to get on
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. board — a committee

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