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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. season — in sport
  3. ball — a great time
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. craft — boats
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. craft — a skill
  8. degree — from a university
  9. degree — an amount
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. key — the most important part
  14. saw — the tool
  15. season — of the year
  16. board — a committee
  17. key — in music
  18. saw — the tool
  19. squash — to crush
  20. degree — temperature
  21. ball — a dance
  22. key — for a lock
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — the sport

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