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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rock — a stone
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. rock — music
  11. suit — clothes
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fork — in a road
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. wax — to grow
  22. mine — for digging
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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