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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. net — in sport
  3. squash — the sport
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. board — to get on
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. squash — to crush
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — for catching
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. drill — the tool
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. board — a committee
  19. season — of the year
  20. drill — army training
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. season — in sport
  23. staff — a stick
  24. arm — a part of something

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