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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. mate — a partner
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. drill — a practice
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. board — to get on
  8. chip — to eat
  9. track — a path
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. mate — to breed
  16. track — to keep track
  17. drill — the tool
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. mate — a friend
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. board — a committee
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. track — a song

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