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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. race — a contest
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. club — a group
  5. board — to get on
  6. race — the arms race
  7. club — for golf
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. ball — a great time
  10. board — a committee
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. race — humankind
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bulb — for light
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. scale — size or range
  24. bulb — for light

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