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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 I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cue — a signal
  3. object — an aim
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. cue — for pool
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. fall — to drop
  8. object — a thing
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. ground — the earth
  11. cue — a hint
  12. fall — the season
  13. ground — a position
  14. object — to protest
  15. craft — boats
  16. pass — a permit
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. ground — crushed
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. craft — a skill
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pass — to succeed

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