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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. scale — size or range
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. scale — in music
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. rush — hurry
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. straw — dry grass

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