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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. current — happening now
  3. swing — in golf
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. toast — bread
  6. current — electric
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bear — the animal
  9. swing — to play on
  10. current — of water
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. kid — to tease
  13. bear — the animal
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. swing — music
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. kid — child
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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