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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a committee
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wake — a trail
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — electric
  13. chip — for betting
  14. current — of water
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mine — for digging
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. dip — to sink
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. chip — to eat

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