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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. suit — to fit
  3. charge — a price
  4. root — of a word
  5. suit — clothes
  6. charge — in control
  7. can — a tin
  8. root — of a plant
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. can — a tin
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. stock — goods
  19. root — the cause
  20. stock — shares
  21. charge — electricity
  22. plane — a tool
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. can — to be able to

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