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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. key — in music
  4. board — to get on
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. race — the arms race
  9. chip — for betting
  10. race — humankind
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. wind — moving air
  13. race — a contest
  14. key — for a lock
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. wind — moving air
  17. spring — a coil
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. spring — the season
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. key — the most important part
  23. board — a committee
  24. spring — of water

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