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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ground — the earth
  4. spell — a short time
  5. content — the amount
  6. cap — a lid
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. spell — letters
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ground — crushed
  17. content — happy
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. suit — clothes
  20. spell — magic
  21. ground — a position
  22. cap — of ice
  23. deal — to handle
  24. cap — a hat

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