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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. season — in sport
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. pitch — completely
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. season — of the year
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. march — the month
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. march — music
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. wake — a trail
  23. march — the month
  24. fan — a supporter

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