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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. field — for sport
  5. board — a committee
  6. ball — a dance
  7. board — to get on
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. present — the time now
  10. craft — boats
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. present — there
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. present — a gift
  16. field — farmland
  17. mark — a trace
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. ball — a great time
  22. field — a subject
  23. craft — a skill
  24. snap — to click

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