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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. board — to get on
  3. charge — a price
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. charge — electricity
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. shower — rain
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. capital — money
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. capital — a city
  17. row — to paddle
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. shower — to wash
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. charge — in control
  22. stem — to come from
  23. row — a line
  24. row — a quarrel

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