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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. tube — a container
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. snap — to click
  7. charge — in control
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. squash — the sport
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. board — to get on
  13. charge — electricity
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. board — a committee
  17. charge — a price
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. tube — the underground
  22. squash — to crush
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pitch — a sports field

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