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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. ground — crushed
  9. bore — to tire
  10. capital — money
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. board — a committee
  18. ground — a position
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. board — to get on
  22. capital — a city
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. ball — a dance

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