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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. band — a ring
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. can — a tin
  5. board — a committee
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. can — a tin
  11. band — a music group
  12. pit — in a race
  13. rule — government
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — boats
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. craft — a skill
  18. can — to be able to
  19. stock — shares
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. stock — goods
  24. rule — a law

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