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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. mug — a face
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bank — for money
  6. net — after costs
  7. board — a committee
  8. kid — to tease
  9. bank — for money
  10. charge — in control
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. net — for catching
  14. charge — electricity
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. charge — a price
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mug — to rob
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bank — of a river
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. net — in sport
  23. mug — a cup
  24. safe — out of danger

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