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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cap — a lid
  6. board — to get on
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. spring — of water
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. game — wild animals
  14. cap — of ice
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. game — a match
  17. deal — to handle
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. spring — the season
  23. cap — a hat
  24. chair — a leader

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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