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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. land — ground
  7. board — to get on
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ball — a dance
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. ball — a great time
  12. board — a committee
  13. pop — to visit
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pop — music
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. suit — clothes
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pop — soda
  21. land — a country
  22. suit — to fit
  23. land — to come down
  24. toast — bread

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