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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. net — in sport
  4. band — a ring
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. board — to get on
  7. stand — to bear
  8. board — a committee
  9. net — after costs
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. net — for catching
  14. mark — a grade
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a music group
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. chip — for betting
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. chip — to eat
  23. mark — a trace
  24. ground — the earth

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