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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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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: fine · club · bowl · board · chair · foot · cabinet · mine

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. board — a committee
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. club — a group
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mine — for digging
  7. fine — all right
  8. fine — high quality
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. club — for dancing
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. chair — a leader
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — to get on
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. club — for golf
  24. cabinet — ministers

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