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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. press — newspapers
  4. cap — a lid
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. board — to get on
  8. land — ground
  9. suit — to fit
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cap — of ice
  12. degree — temperature
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. cap — a hat
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. board — a committee
  18. press — a publisher
  19. degree — an amount
  20. land — a country
  21. land — to come down
  22. degree — from a university
  23. press — to push
  24. board — a flat piece

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