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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. band — a music group
  3. bear — the animal
  4. land — to come down
  5. bear — the animal
  6. ground — crushed
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rash — hasty
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. land — a country
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. board — a committee
  15. ground — the earth
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. land — ground
  18. ground — a position
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. board — to get on
  21. band — a ring
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. rash — a series

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