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

Word bank: bear · race · mug · board · staff · fork · toast · season

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. staff — employees
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — a face
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. toast — bread
  8. bear — the animal
  9. board — a committee
  10. bear — the animal
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. staff — employees
  13. season — of the year
  14. race — a contest
  15. mug — to rob
  16. board — to get on
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. season — in sport
  20. fork — in a road
  21. race — the arms race
  22. race — humankind
  23. staff — a stick
  24. toast — the most admired

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