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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.

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: deal · board · craft · nail · season · mouse · present · cold

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. board — a committee
  4. season — of the year
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. cold — not warm
  7. craft — a skill
  8. deal — to handle
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. craft — boats
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. cold — an illness
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. present — a gift
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. present — there
  18. present — the time now
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. board — to get on
  24. nail — for a hammer

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