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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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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. game — a match
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. bank — for money
  9. board — a committee
  10. game — wild animals
  11. season — in sport
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. season — of the year
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — electricity
  18. board — to get on
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. charge — a price
  24. bank — for money

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