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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. board — to get on
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. tube — the underground
  6. pitch — completely
  7. tube — a container
  8. bear — the animal
  9. board — a committee
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ground — the earth
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. ground — a position
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. ground — crushed
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fan — a supporter

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