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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: toast · net · rule · track · board · foot · chair · mine

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. foot — a measure
  3. net — for catching
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. board — a committee
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. rule — a law
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. track — a song
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. mine — for digging
  15. track — to keep track
  16. chair — a leader
  17. rule — government
  18. track — a path
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — bread

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