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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. board — a committee
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. board — to get on
  7. clip — for paper
  8. game — a match
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. clip — a video
  15. bulb — for light
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. game — wild animals
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. clip — to cut

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