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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. march — the month
  3. bound — tied together
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. board — a committee
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. board — to get on
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. spell — letters
  16. bound — obliged
  17. march — music
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. spell — a short time
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bound — certain
  23. spell — magic
  24. march — the month

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