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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pop — to visit
  4. suit — to fit
  5. ground — the earth
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. field — a subject
  8. pop — music
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. field — farmland
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. vault — a safe
  14. pop — soda
  15. ground — a position
  16. toast — bread
  17. ground — crushed
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. suit — clothes
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. field — for sport
  22. suit — in cards
  23. foot — a measure
  24. fan — to cool the air

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