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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  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 — a supporter
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rock — music
  5. club — for golf
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. club — a group
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. rock — a stone
  21. club — for dancing
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. fan — a supporter

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