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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 116 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 put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. stock — goods
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. track — a path
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. board — to get on
  14. stock — shares
  15. board — a committee
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. chair — a leader
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. track — a song
  20. track — to keep track
  21. lie — to recline
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. lie — an untruth

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