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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bass — low music
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. season — in sport
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. last — to go on
  13. object — to protest
  14. last — final
  15. bass — the fish
  16. fork — in a road
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. last — finally
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — a thing
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. season — of the year
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. fan — to cool the air

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