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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. suit — to fit
  4. field — farmland
  5. suit — in cards
  6. track — a path
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. chip — to eat
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. craft — a skill
  16. sharp — clever
  17. track — to keep track
  18. field — for sport
  19. field — a subject
  20. suit — clothes
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. chip — for betting
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — with an edge

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