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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rash · object · craft · board · mine · saw · season · ball

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. saw — the tool
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. object — to protest
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. ball — a great time
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. object — a thing
  9. craft — a skill
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. saw — the tool
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. craft — boats
  15. mine — for digging
  16. season — of the year
  17. board — to get on
  18. ball — a dance
  19. object — an aim
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. season — in sport
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. rash — a series
  24. rash — hasty

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