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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. court — for sport
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. stand — to bear
  6. deal — to handle
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. cue — for pool
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. court — of law
  22. court — of a king
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — a big deal

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