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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. board — to get on
  3. bound — certain
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bound — tied together
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bound — obliged
  10. mark — a grade
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. board — a committee
  13. mark — a trace
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fan — a supporter

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