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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. march — music
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. hand — help
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. season — in sport
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. march — the month
  11. board — a committee
  12. foot — a measure
  13. march — the month
  14. season — of the year
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ground — the earth
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. board — to get on
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. ground — crushed

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