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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 116 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: field · calf · fork · deal · game · board · bowl · chip

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  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. board — to get on
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. chip — to eat
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. field — farmland
  8. field — a subject
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. chip — for betting
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. game — a match
  16. game — wild animals
  17. fork — in a road
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. deal — to handle
  21. board — a committee
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. field — for sport
  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