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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. board — to get on
  7. rash — a series
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bore — to drill
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pit — in a race
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. march — music
  19. march — the month
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bore — to tire
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. rash — hasty
  24. march — the month

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