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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 116 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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. board — to get on
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. board — a committee
  7. scale — size or range
  8. season — in sport
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. capital — a city
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. season — of the year
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. capital — money
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. scale — in music
  24. pound — a weight

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