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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 120 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. land — ground
  3. object — a thing
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. suit — to fit
  8. spring — a coil
  9. suit — clothes
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. suit — in cards
  14. board — to get on
  15. spring — of water
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. spring — the season
  18. land — to come down
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. board — a committee
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — to protest
  23. land — a country
  24. firm — a company

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