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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. chair — a leader
  3. season — of the year
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — to get on
  6. scale — size or range
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. bank — of a river
  9. season — in sport
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bank — for money
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. scale — in music
  16. craft — a skill
  17. drill — a practice
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. craft — boats
  21. bank — for money
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. drill — army training
  24. chair — a professorship

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