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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. land — a country
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. land — ground
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. board — to get on
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. spring — the season
  10. stand — to bear
  11. land — to come down
  12. chair — a leader
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. board — a committee
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. spring — of water
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. board — a flat piece

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