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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. squash — to crush
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. season — of the year
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — a country
  17. season — in sport
  18. squash — the sport
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. chair — a leader
  23. land — ground
  24. safe — out of danger

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