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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hand — help
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. suit — in cards
  8. board — to get on
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. game — a match
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. board — a committee
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. season — in sport
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. pass — a permit
  20. suit — to fit
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. season — of the year
  24. leaves — of a tree

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