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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. rush — hurry
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. wind — moving air
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. stem — to come from
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. board — a committee
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. roll — a list
  14. roll — a cake
  15. wind — moving air
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. suit — in cards
  20. fork — in a road
  21. suit — clothes
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. board — to get on

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