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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rock — a stone
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. board — to get on
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. craft — boats
  9. court — for sport
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. rock — music
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. court — of law
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. court — of a king
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mouse — for a computer

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