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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. band — a music group
  3. perch — the fish
  4. stock — goods
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. band — a ring
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wake — a trail
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. stock — shares
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. toast — bread
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. fan — a supporter

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