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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. spell — magic
  3. board — a committee
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. spell — letters
  6. content — the amount
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fork — in a road
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. spell — a short time
  11. content — happy
  12. board — to get on
  13. charge — in control
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. staff — employees
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. charge — electricity
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. staff — a stick
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. charge — a price
  23. staff — employees
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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