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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 124 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. board — a committee
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. board — to get on
  7. press — newspapers
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. press — to push
  10. press — a publisher
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. track — to keep track
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. track — a path
  23. sharp — clever
  24. dip — a sauce

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