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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.

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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  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. chair — a professorship
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. race — humankind
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. spring — a coil
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. spring — of water
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. charge — in control
  12. race — a contest
  13. spring — the season
  14. board — a committee
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. board — to get on
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. charge — a price
  20. race — the arms race
  21. charge — electricity
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chair — a leader
  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