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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a committee
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bat — the animal
  6. land — to come down
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. land — a country
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. track — a path
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — clothes
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. land — ground
  24. track — a song

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