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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · mine · present · suit · wind · last · board · squash

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. board — to get on
  3. present — there
  4. can — to be able to
  5. last — finally
  6. present — a gift
  7. can — a tin
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. squash — the sport
  10. suit — in cards
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — final
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. present — the time now
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. wind — moving air
  17. board — a committee
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mine — for digging
  21. squash — to crush
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wind — moving air
  24. can — a tin

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