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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. band — a music group
  4. net — in sport
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a hat
  8. net — after costs
  9. deal — to handle
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. face — to point toward
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. band — a ring
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to confront
  16. board — a committee
  17. net — for catching
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. board — to get on
  24. cap — a lid

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