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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. sharp — clever
  3. rash — a series
  4. club — for golf
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rash — hasty
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. object — to protest
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. object — a thing
  11. track — a song
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. club — a group
  14. bulb — for light
  15. track — a path
  16. object — an aim
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. dip — to sink
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. club — for dancing

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