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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. date — the fruit
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bore — to tire
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. ball — a great time
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. plane — a tool
  15. rush — hurry
  16. ground — the earth
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bore — to drill
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — crushed
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bore — gave birth

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