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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. board — to get on
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. swing — music
  7. shower — rain
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. pit — a hole
  12. board — a committee
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — clever
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. swing — to play on
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. shower — to wash

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