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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.

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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: craft · board · bass · ball · deal · chip · ground · rash

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. ground — crushed
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. rash — a series
  5. ground — the earth
  6. board — a committee
  7. bass — low music
  8. ground — a position
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. chip — for betting
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. bass — the fish
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. rash — hasty
  15. board — to get on
  16. deal — to handle
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. craft — a skill
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. craft — boats
  24. ball — a dance

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