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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. spring — the season
  3. board — to get on
  4. mate — a friend
  5. race — humankind
  6. race — the arms race
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. mate — to breed
  11. band — a ring
  12. mate — a partner
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. band — a music group
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. spring — of water
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. toast — bread
  22. race — a contest
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. spring — a coil

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