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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. scale — in music
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bear — the animal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. fall — to drop
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bear — the animal
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. scale — size or range
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bat — the animal
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bear — to put up with

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