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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: rock · hand · snap · board · fan · bear · chair · present

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. board — to get on
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. rock — music
  5. present — the time now
  6. hand — in cards
  7. present — there
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bear — the animal
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. chair — a leader
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. present — a gift
  14. board — a committee
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bear — the animal
  22. hand — help
  23. snap — to click
  24. rock — a stone

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