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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 116 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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. object — an aim
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. hand — help
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. court — of a king
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. object — a thing
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. court — for sport
  12. object — to protest
  13. bore — to drill
  14. craft — boats
  15. bore — to tire
  16. craft — a skill
  17. firm — decided
  18. court — of law
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. firm — steady
  21. hand — in cards
  22. firm — a company
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. board — to get on

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