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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. stand — to bear
  6. fine — all right
  7. board — to get on
  8. rash — a series
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fine — high quality
  14. craft — a skill
  15. rash — hasty
  16. board — a committee
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. craft — boats
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. chip — for betting

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