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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cap — a hat
  5. fine — all right
  6. board — to get on
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. board — a committee
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — there
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. staff — employees
  13. hand — help
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. cap — of ice
  18. hand — in cards
  19. present — a gift
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — a stick
  22. cap — a lid
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. fine — high quality

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