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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. suit — in cards
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. spell — a short time
  8. band — a music group
  9. rash — hasty
  10. band — a ring
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rash — a series
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. spell — letters
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. spell — magic

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