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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'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. tube — the underground
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. rock — a stone
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. plane — a tool
  9. kick — in football
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. tube — a container
  13. craft — a skill
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rock — music
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. jam — a tight spot

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