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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. prune — to trim
  4. board — a committee
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. hand — in cards
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. cold — not warm
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a great time
  16. cold — an illness
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. hand — help
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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