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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: leaves · firm · fan · spell · snap · board · ball · scale

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. ball — a great time
  4. board — a committee
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. board — to get on
  7. spell — letters
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. firm — a company
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. spell — a short time
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. firm — steady
  15. ball — a dance
  16. scale — size or range
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. firm — decided
  20. spell — magic
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. snap — to click
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. scale — in music

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