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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: lash · fan · present · stock · board · staff · game · suit

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. suit — clothes
  3. game — a match
  4. board — to get on
  5. suit — to fit
  6. staff — employees
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. present — the time now
  9. game — wild animals
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. staff — employees
  12. present — a gift
  13. stock — goods
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. staff — a stick
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. suit — in cards
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. board — a committee
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stock — shares
  24. present — there

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