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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pop — to visit
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. content — happy
  6. key — for a lock
  7. content — the amount
  8. scale — size or range
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. swing — to play on
  11. pop — soda
  12. swing — music
  13. pop — music
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. scale — in music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. pit — a hole
  20. toast — bread
  21. swing — in golf
  22. key — in music
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. content — videos and posts

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