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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. mine — an explosive
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. board — a committee
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. cue — for pool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cue — a hint
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. saw — the tool
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. board — to get on
  20. cue — a signal
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. mine — for digging
  23. stand — to bear
  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