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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: squash · sharp · stand · ground · game · bear · rock · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. game — a match
  3. sharp — clever
  4. squash — to crush
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. ground — crushed
  9. rock — music
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. rock — a stone
  14. stand — to bear
  15. ground — a position
  16. game — wild animals
  17. board — a committee
  18. ground — the earth
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bear — the animal
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. board — a flat piece

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