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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. squash — to crush
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. charge — electricity
  5. chair — a leader
  6. current — of water
  7. current — happening now
  8. board — a committee
  9. rest — a break
  10. object — a thing
  11. squash — the sport
  12. charge — a price
  13. current — electric
  14. rest — what's left
  15. board — to get on
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. object — to protest
  21. charge — in control
  22. rest — what's left
  23. object — an aim
  24. chair — a professorship

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