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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. ground — crushed
  4. ground — the earth
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. mark — a trace
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. board — to get on
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. land — ground
  13. land — to come down
  14. land — a country
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. board — a committee
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. mark — a grade
  20. fork — in a road
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. ground — a position

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