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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. stem — to come from
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. rock — a stone
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rock — music
  8. charge — in control
  9. pop — music
  10. charge — a price
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. board — to get on
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pop — soda
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. board — a committee
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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