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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: shower · rule · ball · stand · bulb · season · board · craft

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. shower — to wash
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. craft — boats
  7. shower — rain
  8. ball — a dance
  9. board — a committee
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ball — a great time
  13. season — of the year
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rule — government
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. board — to get on
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. rule — a law

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