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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  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. mine — for digging
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a match
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. plane — a tool
  6. band — a ring
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. board — a committee
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. board — to get on
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. band — a music group
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. kick — in football
  24. fan — a supporter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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