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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. season — in sport
  3. chest — of your body
  4. chest — of your body
  5. object — to protest
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. board — to get on
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — a hat
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. chest — a box
  17. object — a thing
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. season — of the year
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. cap — of ice
  23. object — an aim
  24. nail — for a hammer

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