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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. board — to get on
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. staff — a stick
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. board — a committee
  11. current — of water
  12. staff — employees
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. swing — music
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. swing — to play on
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. swing — in golf
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. staff — employees
  21. current — electric
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. current — happening now
  24. board — a flat piece

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