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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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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. roll — a cake
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. board — a committee
  10. charge — electricity
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. roll — a list
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. coach — a trainer

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