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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pitch — completely
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. foot — a measure
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. mug — a face
  11. craft — a skill
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — a container
  17. fork — in a road
  18. craft — boats
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. mug — to rob
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. mug — a cup
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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