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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — to come from
  7. content — the amount
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. content — happy
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. suit — clothes
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. suit — in cards
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. suit — to fit
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. deal — to handle
  20. game — wild animals
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. game — a match

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