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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 116 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: mine · wake · track · suit · board · hide · spring · fan

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. track — to keep track
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. wake — a trail
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. track — a path
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. suit — to fit
  12. spring — the season
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mine — for digging
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. board — to get on
  19. spring — a coil
  20. track — a song
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. spring — of water
  24. wake — before a funeral

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