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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.

Make a worksheet

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: club · board · squash · ball · perch · jam · season · bay

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. squash — to crush
  7. club — for golf
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. season — of the year
  11. season — in sport
  12. squash — the sport
  13. club — for dancing
  14. board — a committee
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. club — a group
  18. board — to get on
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. ball — a great time
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. ball — a round shape

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