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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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  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. squash — the sport
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — of law
  9. board — a committee
  10. mate — a friend
  11. bear — the animal
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bear — the animal
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. squash — to crush
  20. court — for sport
  21. board — to get on
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mark — a grade
  24. fan — a supporter

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