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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 120 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. pass — a permit
  3. spell — magic
  4. suit — in cards
  5. spell — a short time
  6. firm — decided
  7. spell — letters
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. firm — a company
  13. rock — a stone
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. suit — to fit
  18. firm — steady
  19. mark — a grade
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. mark — a trace
  22. board — a committee
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — to move gently

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