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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. board — a committee
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. board — to get on
  5. mug — to rob
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bear — the animal
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. rest — what's left
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mug — a cup
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. mate — a partner
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bear — the animal
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — a break

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