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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.

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Word bank
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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. drill — army training
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bulb — for light
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. mug — to rob
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. face — part of the head
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. face — to point toward
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — a face
  16. drill — a practice
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. face — to confront
  19. fine — all right
  20. bat — the animal
  21. drill — the tool
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. snap — to click

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