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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. ball — a dance
  5. race — a contest
  6. craft — a skill
  7. race — the arms race
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. shower — rain
  16. key — in music
  17. race — humankind
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. shower — to wash
  21. key — the most important part
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. ball — a great time

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