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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cue — for pool
  7. game — wild animals
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. saw — the tool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. saw — the tool
  13. game — a match
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cue — a hint
  18. wake — a trail

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