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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — to get on
  3. club — for dancing
  4. ground — a position
  5. squash — the sport
  6. club — a group
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. club — for golf
  9. mug — to rob
  10. fall — to drop
  11. mug — a cup
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. ball — a great time
  16. squash — to crush
  17. fall — the season
  18. ground — crushed
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rush — hurry
  22. fall — to drop
  23. ground — the earth
  24. mug — a face

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