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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 124 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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. rock — a stone
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rock — music
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. game — wild animals
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. foot — a measure
  18. suit — clothes
  19. game — a match
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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