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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cell — a phone
  3. object — to protest
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. object — an aim
  6. kick — in football
  7. cell — in biology
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. object — a thing
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. board — a committee
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. board — to get on
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. fan — to cool the air

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