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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: fan · saw · present · racket · squash · charge · stick · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. saw — the tool
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the sport
  11. charge — electricity
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — in control
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. present — the time now
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. present — a gift
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. saw — the tool
  23. present — there
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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