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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  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 — a gift
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. mark — a trace
  4. present — the time now
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — tied together
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mark — a grade
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. craft — boats
  15. saw — the tool
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a committee
  18. present — there
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bound — obliged
  23. pitch — completely
  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