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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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. can — a tin
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ball — a great time
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. can — to be able to
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. board — a committee
  17. can — a tin
  18. foot — a measure
  19. board — to get on
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — goods
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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