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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 120 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. club — for golf
  3. wind — moving air
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. mug — a face
  6. field — for sport
  7. board — to get on
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. field — a subject
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. club — a group
  14. field — farmland
  15. mug — a cup
  16. board — a committee
  17. chair — a leader
  18. wind — moving air
  19. present — there
  20. mug — to rob
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. present — a gift
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. club — for dancing

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