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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mouse · board · bowl · root · march · chip · mate · mine

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. march — the month
  4. root — of a plant
  5. mate — a friend
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mate — a partner
  9. root — of a word
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. march — the month
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. chip — to eat
  20. mate — to breed
  21. root — the cause
  22. board — a committee
  23. march — music
  24. chip — for betting

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