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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — a permit
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. pop — to visit
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rash — hasty
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rash — a series
  13. tear — to rip
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pop — music
  16. tear — from crying
  17. pop — soda
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pass — to succeed

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