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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. board — to get on
  3. season — of the year
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. board — a committee
  10. pit — a hole
  11. face — to point toward
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pit — in a race
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. capital — a city
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. face — part of the head
  19. season — in sport
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. face — to confront
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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