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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. rash — hasty
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. season — in sport
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. board — a committee
  10. suit — in cards
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. suit — clothes
  15. season — of the year
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. rash — a series
  22. board — to get on
  23. wound — an injury
  24. suit — to fit

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