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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. spring — the season
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. land — to come down
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. land — a country
  9. firm — steady
  10. board — a committee
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. board — to get on
  13. land — ground
  14. spring — a coil
  15. pitch — completely
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. firm — a company
  18. saw — the tool
  19. spring — of water
  20. deal — to handle
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. firm — decided

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