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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. race — humankind
  7. fine — high quality
  8. race — the arms race
  9. foot — a measure
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. vault — a safe
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. march — the month
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. staff — employees
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. march — music
  19. pound — a weight
  20. march — the month
  21. race — a contest
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — a stick
  24. fine — all right

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