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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. spring — the season
  5. row — to paddle
  6. cap — of ice
  7. spring — of water
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. row — a line
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. chip — to eat
  17. cap — a lid
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. chip — for betting
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. cap — a hat
  23. spring — a coil
  24. board — to get on

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