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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: present · bay · fall · board · clip · snap · stand · root

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. fall — to drop
  4. root — of a plant
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. root — of a word
  14. clip — for paper
  15. clip — a video
  16. present — the time now
  17. root — the cause
  18. clip — to cut
  19. present — there
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. snap — to click
  22. present — a gift
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. stand — to bear

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