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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. present — a gift
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — steady
  5. staff — employees
  6. board — to get on
  7. wake — a trail
  8. board — a committee
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. clip — for paper
  14. firm — decided
  15. clip — a video
  16. present — there
  17. clip — to cut
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. date — the fruit
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. present — the time now
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. date — on the calendar

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