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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. ball — a great time
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. ground — crushed
  8. craft — a skill
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. board — a committee
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. mark — a grade
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. board — to get on
  15. snap — to click
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. ground — the earth
  18. craft — boats
  19. mark — a trace
  20. chair — a leader
  21. ground — a position
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. ball — a dance
  24. board — a flat piece

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