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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. wound — an injury
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. current — of water
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. chip — for betting
  11. rush — hurry
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. wound — an injury
  15. branch — a division
  16. current — happening now
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. chip — to eat
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. current — electric
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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