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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. chair — a leader
  3. bound — obliged
  4. stock — shares
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. craft — a skill
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rock — music
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. craft — boats
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pass — a permit
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bound — tied together
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. stock — goods
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — to get on
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bound — certain
  24. pass — to spend time

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