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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 116 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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bass — low music
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. can — a tin
  8. rash — a series
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. can — a tin
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rash — hasty
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bass — the fish
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. can — to be able to
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. ground — a position
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. fan — a supporter

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