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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bear — the animal
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. spell — magic
  10. board — a committee
  11. charge — in control
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mine — for digging
  16. key — for a lock
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. spell — letters
  19. charge — electricity
  20. key — in music
  21. bear — the animal
  22. charge — a price
  23. spell — a short time
  24. nail — for a hammer

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