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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. can — a tin
  3. board — to get on
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. can — a tin
  6. ball — a dance
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. mark — a trace
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mark — a grade
  11. chair — a leader
  12. craft — boats
  13. can — to be able to
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. ball — a great time
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. board — a committee
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. chest — a box
  20. chest — of your body
  21. craft — a skill
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chest — of your body
  24. mark — to pay attention

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