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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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. ruler — a monarch
  3. board — a committee
  4. capital — a city
  5. board — to get on
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. ball — a dance
  8. kick — in football
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. degree — an amount
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. capital — money
  14. ball — a great time
  15. degree — temperature
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. degree — from a university
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. board — a flat piece

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