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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. mug — to rob
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. ball — a great time
  5. board — a committee
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. fork — in a road
  11. board — to get on
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. fine — high quality
  14. drill — the tool
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. chair — a leader
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — army training
  21. mug — a face
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. fine — all right
  24. mug — a cup

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