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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  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. bear — the animal
  2. club — for dancing
  3. season — in sport
  4. season — of the year
  5. club — for golf
  6. mug — to rob
  7. board — a committee
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. craft — boats
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stem — to come from
  14. board — to get on
  15. mug — a face
  16. club — a group
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stem — a stem cell
  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