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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. ground — the earth
  3. charge — electricity
  4. last — finally
  5. ground — crushed
  6. last — to go on
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rash — hasty
  9. field — for sport
  10. charge — in control
  11. field — a subject
  12. last — final
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. ground — a position
  15. field — farmland
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. rash — a series
  18. board — to get on
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. charge — a price
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. board — a committee
  24. bowl — to roll

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