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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. chair — a leader
  3. root — of a plant
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. object — an aim
  6. march — music
  7. board — a committee
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. board — to get on
  10. fine — all right
  11. club — for golf
  12. march — the month
  13. march — the month
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. club — a group
  16. root — the cause
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest
  19. fine — high quality
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. root — of a word

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