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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. march — the month
  3. march — music
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. root — of a plant
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. can — to be able to
  11. present — there
  12. root — the cause
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. march — the month
  15. present — the time now
  16. suit — to fit
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. can — a tin
  19. root — of a word
  20. suit — in cards
  21. shower — to wash
  22. shower — rain
  23. can — a tin
  24. present — a gift

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