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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. board — to get on
  7. band — a ring
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. band — a music group
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mine — for digging
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. board — a committee
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. suit — to fit
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. band — a rubber band

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