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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. board — to get on
  3. foot — a measure
  4. season — in sport
  5. toast — bread
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. mark — a trace
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pound — a weight
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. season — of the year
  21. board — a committee
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. toast — the most admired

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