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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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. mug — to rob
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. can — a tin
  8. cell — in biology
  9. can — to be able to
  10. mug — a cup
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. season — in sport
  14. mug — a face
  15. cell — a phone
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. season — of the year
  19. can — a tin
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bark — to shout
  24. swing — music

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