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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: rush · fan · fine · bowl · board · can · roll · bear

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. roll — a cake
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. roll — a list
  9. fine — all right
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. board — a committee
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bear — the animal
  16. board — to get on
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. can — a tin
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bear — the animal
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. fine — high quality

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