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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for dancing
  6. saw — the tool
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. plane — a tool
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. object — to protest
  11. saw — the tool
  12. club — for golf
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. object — an aim
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. object — a thing
  18. fan — a supporter

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