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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. wound — an injury
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. suit — in cards
  9. spring — a coil
  10. band — a ring
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. board — to get on
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. spring — of water
  15. board — a committee
  16. suit — clothes
  17. spring — the season
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bass — low music
  21. band — a music group
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bass — the fish
  24. suit — to fit

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