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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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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: board · hand · ground · cue · drill · rock · mug · fan

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. drill — a practice
  3. rock — a stone
  4. ground — a position
  5. mug — a face
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. hand — help
  8. cue — for pool
  9. mug — a cup
  10. board — to get on
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. drill — army training
  13. hand — in cards
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — music
  16. ground — the earth
  17. drill — the tool
  18. board — a committee
  19. ground — crushed
  20. cue — a signal
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cue — a hint
  24. mug — to rob

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