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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 120 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
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: snap · suit · fan · squash · spell · board · stand · cell

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. cell — in biology
  4. board — to get on
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. spell — a short time
  7. cell — a phone
  8. suit — in cards
  9. board — a committee
  10. suit — clothes
  11. snap — to click
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. spell — letters
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. stand — to bear
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. squash — to crush
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. squash — the sport
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. board — a flat piece

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