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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. saw — the tool
  4. can — a tin
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. saw — the tool
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. deal — to handle
  13. chair — a leader
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. can — a tin
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. can — to be able to
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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