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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 116 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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. deal — to handle
  3. object — an aim
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — a lid
  8. object — a thing
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. object — to protest
  13. cap — of ice
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bank — of a river
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. race — the arms race
  20. race — humankind
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. board — to get on
  24. race — a contest

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