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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. current — happening now
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. current — of water
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. rest — a break
  11. board — a committee
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. current — electric
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. present — the time now
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. present — a gift
  18. rest — what's left
  19. present — there
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. board — to get on
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. pit — in a race

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