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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. club — for dancing
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. field — farmland
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. club — a group
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. field — for sport
  14. board — a committee
  15. land — to come down
  16. club — for golf
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. cue — for pool
  20. land — a country
  21. field — a subject
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. land — ground
  24. temple — a place of worship

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