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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.

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: fan · track · game · board · mate · object · charge · spring

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. game — a match
  3. track — to keep track
  4. object — to protest
  5. spring — of water
  6. mate — a friend
  7. track — a path
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. mate — a partner
  10. object — a thing
  11. spring — the season
  12. object — an aim
  13. spring — a coil
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. board — a committee
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. board — to get on
  21. charge — a price
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. track — a song
  24. mate — to breed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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