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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. tube — a container
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — the underground
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. deal — to handle
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. date — the fruit

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