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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. board — a committee
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. march — the month
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. board — to get on
  9. land — to come down
  10. craft — boats
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. fine — all right
  14. land — a country
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. land — ground
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. march — the month
  20. mark — a grade
  21. march — music
  22. mark — a trace
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bowl — to roll

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