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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 120 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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. staff — employees
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. staff — employees
  9. net — for catching
  10. drill — army training
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. net — in sport
  15. drill — a practice
  16. net — after costs
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. staff — a stick
  20. drill — the tool
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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