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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. board — a committee
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. track — a path
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pitch — completely
  9. track — a song
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. stock — goods
  12. saw — the tool
  13. board — to get on
  14. pop — to visit
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pop — music
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. saw — the tool
  22. pop — soda
  23. stock — shares
  24. track — to keep track

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