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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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a committee
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. mate — to breed
  8. craft — boats
  9. squash — to crush
  10. suit — to fit
  11. ground — the earth
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. game — a match
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. mate — a friend
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. game — wild animals
  18. mate — a partner
  19. ground — a position
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bass — low music
  22. suit — in cards
  23. ground — crushed
  24. craft — a skill

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