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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mine — for digging
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. squash — the sport
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. bore — to tire
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wake — a trail
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bore — to drill
  21. mark — a grade
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. squash — to crush

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