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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. land — ground
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. ground — the earth
  8. pit — a hole
  9. board — a committee
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. ground — crushed
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pit — in a race
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. land — to come down
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. ground — a position
  22. rush — hurry
  23. land — a country
  24. arm — part of the body

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