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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.

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: mate · board · fan · deal · spring · bowl · kick · roll

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. board — a committee
  4. roll — a cake
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. roll — a list
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. spring — a coil
  9. kick — in football
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. mate — a partner
  14. spring — the season
  15. mate — to breed
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. spring — of water
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. mate — a friend
  20. board — to get on
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bowl — a football final

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