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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stand — to bear
  3. clip — to cut
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. board — a committee
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bank — of a river
  14. clip — for paper
  15. chair — a leader
  16. track — a path
  17. clip — a video
  18. bank — for money
  19. track — a song
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bank — for money
  22. board — to get on
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. track — to keep track

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