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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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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. swing — in golf
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — a cup
  7. key — in music
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pound — a weight
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. swing — to play on
  17. ball — a great time
  18. swing — music
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mug — to rob

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