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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. board — to get on
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. craft — boats
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. game — a match
  7. board — a committee
  8. ground — the earth
  9. charge — electricity
  10. ground — crushed
  11. mark — a trace
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. season — in sport
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — in control
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mark — a grade
  24. season — of the year

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