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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. rest — a break
  3. pass — a permit
  4. board — to get on
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. land — ground
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. rock — a stone
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. land — a country
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rock — music
  20. rest — what's left
  21. land — to come down
  22. fork — in a road
  23. board — a committee
  24. bowl — a dish

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