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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 120 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. season — of the year
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. ball — a great time
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. season — in sport
  10. mark — a trace
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. capital — money
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — to get on
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. ball — a dance
  18. capital — a city
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. mark — a grade
  24. capital — a big letter

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