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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. wake — a trail
  3. suit — to fit
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bound — obliged
  6. row — a line
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bound — certain
  9. mate — a partner
  10. suit — clothes
  11. mug — a face
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. suit — in cards
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. row — to paddle
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a friend
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. mug — a cup
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bound — tied together
  24. row — a quarrel

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