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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 116 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. mark — a grade
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. race — humankind
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. race — the arms race
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. saw — the tool
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. wind — moving air
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. race — a contest
  19. cap — of ice
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. mark — a trace
  22. saw — the tool
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mark — to pay attention

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