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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: track · board · present · cue · deal · game · can · bear

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. can — a tin
  4. track — a song
  5. track — a path
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. track — to keep track
  8. present — the time now
  9. bear — the animal
  10. can — a tin
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. can — to be able to
  14. game — wild animals
  15. cue — a signal
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. game — a match
  19. cue — for pool
  20. deal — to handle
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bear — the animal
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. board — to get on

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