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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. field — farmland
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. charge — in control
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. charge — a price
  11. board — a committee
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. field — a subject
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. board — to get on
  22. charge — electricity
  23. field — for sport
  24. cabinet — ministers

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