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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. last — to go on
  6. board — to get on
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. last — finally
  11. mate — a friend
  12. drill — army training
  13. mate — a partner
  14. ball — a great time
  15. board — a committee
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. craft — boats
  18. drill — a practice
  19. drill — the tool
  20. ball — a dance
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. last — final
  24. craft — a skill

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