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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. board — to get on
  3. field — for sport
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. net — in sport
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. net — for catching
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — in control
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. field — a subject
  15. firm — a company
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. firm — decided
  18. net — after costs
  19. field — farmland
  20. board — a committee
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. charge — electricity
  24. firm — steady

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