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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 116 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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. suit — clothes
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a word
  8. spell — magic
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. spell — a short time
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. suit — in cards
  16. squash — to crush
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. root — of a plant
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. squash — the sport
  21. board — a committee
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. spell — letters
  24. bowl — a football final

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