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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 · staff · pitcher · fork · bear · board · clip · mate

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mate — a partner
  4. fork — in a road
  5. mate — a friend
  6. clip — to cut
  7. mate — to breed
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. clip — a video
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. staff — employees
  17. board — a committee
  18. staff — employees
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. clip — for paper
  22. board — to get on
  23. staff — a stick
  24. fork — a garden tool

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