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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 120 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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. chip — for betting
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. track — a path
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. prune — to trim
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. chip — to eat
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. prune — to trim
  21. track — a song
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. track — to keep track

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