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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: board · cabinet · object · pitch · deal · mine · bear · club

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bear — the animal
  3. board — to get on
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. mine — for digging
  6. club — for dancing
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pitch — completely
  9. object — an aim
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. deal — to handle
  12. club — a group
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. club — for golf
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. object — a thing
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. board — a committee
  19. object — to protest
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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