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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 116 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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468
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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 jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. ball — a great time
  6. tube — the underground
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. swing — in golf
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. object — an aim
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. fork — in a road
  15. tube — a container
  16. pit — a hole
  17. object — a thing
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. ball — a dance
  20. swing — to play on
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. pit — in a race
  23. object — to protest
  24. fork — to eat 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