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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.

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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bound — tied together
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. fine — high quality
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bound — certain
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. present — a gift
  15. board — to get on
  16. bound — obliged
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fine — all right
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. board — a committee
  23. present — the time now
  24. fan — a supporter

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