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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. scale — size or range
  3. board — a committee
  4. suit — to fit
  5. scale — in music
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. file — a document
  11. court — of a king
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. swing — in golf
  14. file — a line of people
  15. court — of law
  16. file — a tool
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — of ice
  19. swing — to play on
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. swing — music
  22. cap — a lid
  23. court — for sport
  24. scale — for weighing

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