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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. ground — crushed
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. board — to get on
  6. ground — the earth
  7. net — after costs
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pit — in a race
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mate — to breed
  14. net — for catching
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. board — a committee
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pit — a hole
  21. net — in sport
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mate — a friend
  24. ground — a position

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