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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 120 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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. net — for catching
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. net — in sport
  7. board — a committee
  8. net — after costs
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. staff — employees
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. board — to get on
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. staff — employees
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. kick — in football
  24. staff — a stick

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