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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. roll — a list
  4. board — a committee
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. mate — a friend
  12. saw — the tool
  13. roll — a cake
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. board — to get on
  17. toast — bread
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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