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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 124 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. club — a group
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. sharp — clever
  8. row — a line
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. row — to paddle
  11. chair — a leader
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. club — for dancing
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. board — to get on
  17. ball — a great time
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. club — for golf
  20. stock — goods
  21. board — a committee
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. row — a quarrel

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