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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. can — a tin
  4. game — a match
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. dip — to sink
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mine — for digging
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. can — a tin
  12. key — the most important part
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. key — for a lock
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. can — to be able to
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. kick — in football
  23. game — wild animals
  24. mine — an explosive

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