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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. fork — in a road
  3. charge — in control
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. game — a match
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. charge — a price
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. hand — help
  10. board — a committee
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. mine — for digging
  16. board — to get on
  17. game — wild animals
  18. charge — electricity
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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