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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 124 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bear — the animal
  4. foot — a measure
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. perch — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. roll — a list
  9. bear — the animal
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a dance
  13. cap — of ice
  14. board — to get on
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. roll — a cake
  22. cap — a hat
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. board — a committee

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