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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. face — to point toward
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. board — a committee
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pop — music
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pop — soda
  10. race — humankind
  11. race — a contest
  12. pop — to visit
  13. race — the arms race
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — to bear
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. court — of law
  18. craft — boats
  19. court — for sport
  20. dip — to sink
  21. board — to get on
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to confront
  24. court — of a king

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