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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. last — to go on
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. board — to get on
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. suit — to fit
  9. last — finally
  10. last — final
  11. suit — clothes
  12. fine — high quality
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fine — all right
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. straw — dry grass

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