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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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 · rush · lean · bay · cap · court · bowl · trunk

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. board — to get on
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. court — of a king
  6. court — of law
  7. board — a committee
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. court — for sport
  14. cap — a lid
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. rush — hurry
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. lean — thin

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