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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. land — to come down
  4. board — a committee
  5. pound — a weight
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. fine — all right
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. land — ground
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. land — a country
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. date — the fruit
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. board — to get on
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. tube — the underground

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