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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: land · board · scale · pit · mouse · jam · hand · bowl

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. land — a country
  3. pit — in a race
  4. hand — in cards
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. land — to come down
  11. scale — size or range
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. land — ground
  14. board — to get on
  15. pit — a hole
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. board — a committee
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. hand — help
  23. scale — in music
  24. bowl — a dish

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