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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · board · capital · kick · pass · arm · current · suit

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — a committee
  3. pass — a permit
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — in football
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. board — to get on
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. current — electric
  14. capital — a city
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. current — happening now
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — in cards
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. capital — money
  24. current — of water

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