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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. firm — steady
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. game — a match
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bear — the animal
  8. charge — a price
  9. game — wild animals
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pop — soda
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. charge — in control
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bear — the animal
  20. chair — a leader
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. board — to get on
  24. chair — to sit on

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