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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. capital — money
  6. scale — in music
  7. board — to get on
  8. chip — for betting
  9. board — a committee
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. scale — size or range
  16. capital — a city
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. chip — to eat
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — music
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bowl — to roll

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