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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. land — to come down
  3. plane — a tool
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. toast — bread
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. face — to point toward
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. land — a country
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. scale — size or range
  15. land — ground
  16. face — to confront
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. scale — in music
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. face — part of the head
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. fan — a supporter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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