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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. stock — shares
  6. bat — the animal
  7. last — final
  8. roll — a list
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. suit — in cards
  11. staff — a stick
  12. roll — a cake
  13. last — finally
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. last — to go on
  17. squash — to crush
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — the sport
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. suit — clothes

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