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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. fine — high quality
  3. board — a committee
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. board — to get on
  7. present — a gift
  8. fine — all right
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. present — there
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. chip — to eat
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. present — the time now
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. chip — for betting
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fork — to eat with

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