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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: cap · leaves · racket · game · pit · present · board · fan

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. present — a gift
  7. board — a committee
  8. pit — in a race
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — to get on
  11. game — wild animals
  12. present — the time now
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pit — a hole
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cap — a lid
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. cap — a hat
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. present — there
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cap — of ice

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