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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. shower — to wash
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mine — for digging
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. shower — rain
  24. ruler — a monarch

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