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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 116 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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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: mug · board · fan · march · face · prune · degree · suit

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. face — to point toward
  4. march — the month
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. degree — from a university
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mug — to rob
  10. march — the month
  11. degree — temperature
  12. face — part of the head
  13. suit — clothes
  14. face — to confront
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — a cup
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. prune — to trim
  19. suit — to fit
  20. board — to get on
  21. degree — an amount
  22. board — a committee
  23. march — music
  24. suit — in cards

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