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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cell · fork · mate · scale · board · ball · mug · season

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. ball — a dance
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. mug — a face
  7. cell — a phone
  8. scale — size or range
  9. board — to get on
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mug — to rob
  13. scale — in music
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mate — to breed
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. season — of the year
  18. season — in sport
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. cell — in biology
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mug — a cup

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