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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 120 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. present — the time now
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. tube — the underground
  12. present — a gift
  13. kick — in football
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stand — to bear
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. present — there
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. plane — a tool
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. tube — a container
  24. plane — an aircraft

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