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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. mug — a cup
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. rest — what's left
  11. march — the month
  12. board — to get on
  13. toast — bread
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. march — the month
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. mug — a face
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. march — music
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. mug — to rob

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