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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. club — for dancing
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — the earth
  7. club — a group
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — a price
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. march — the month
  14. board — a committee
  15. wax — to grow
  16. march — the month
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. ground — crushed
  21. board — to get on
  22. march — music
  23. can — a tin
  24. club — for golf

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