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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. swing — music
  5. stand — to bear
  6. can — a tin
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. swing — in golf
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. can — a tin
  14. pass — a permit
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. can — to be able to
  20. swing — to play on
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mark — a grade

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