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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ground — the earth
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bound — certain
  7. mug — to rob
  8. board — a committee
  9. mug — a cup
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bore — to tire
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bore — to drill
  17. mug — a face
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. craft — boats
  21. bound — tied together
  22. ball — a great time
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. ground — a position

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