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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. cold — not warm
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. board — to get on
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pass — a permit
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. board — a committee
  13. cold — an illness
  14. stand — to bear
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. fine — all right
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. fine — high quality

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