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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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468
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: board · club · bay · jam · root · sharp · lean · pitch

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. board — to get on
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. root — of a word
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. club — a group
  9. board — a committee
  10. club — for golf
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. root — of a plant
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. root — the cause
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. sharp — clever
  21. club — for dancing
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. pitch — completely
  24. lean — to bend

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