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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. rash — a series
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rush — hurry
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. row — a line
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. row — to paddle
  15. board — a committee
  16. toast — bread
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. board — to get on
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. rush — to hurry

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