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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.

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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fine — high quality
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bat — the animal
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. can — a tin
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. march — music
  24. can — a tin

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