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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: scale · fan · board · ground · wave · season · bowl · ball

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. scale — in music
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ground — the earth
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. scale — size or range
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. ground — a position
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. board — a committee
  14. ball — a dance
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. board — to get on
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. season — of the year
  20. season — in sport
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ground — crushed
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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