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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 116 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fall — the season
  4. bound — certain
  5. staff — employees
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. staff — a stick
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bound — tied together
  10. fall — to drop
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. mine — for digging
  18. bear — the animal
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. bound — obliged
  22. fall — to drop
  23. staff — employees
  24. bowl — a football final

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