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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. present — there
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. present — the time now
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. fall — to drop
  10. rock — music
  11. staff — employees
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fall — to drop
  16. staff — a stick
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. present — a gift
  19. fall — the season
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. staff — employees
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. rock — a stone

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