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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cap — of ice
  5. net — for catching
  6. clip — for paper
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. cap — a lid
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. clip — a video
  12. net — in sport
  13. row — a line
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. cap — a hat
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. clip — to cut
  20. net — after costs
  21. row — to paddle
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. stand — to bear

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