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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. board — to get on
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. field — for sport
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — a stone
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. rock — music
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. chip — for betting
  16. board — a committee
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. chip — to eat
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. deal — to handle
  21. field — a subject
  22. ball — a great time
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. field — farmland

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