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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. chest — a box
  4. current — electric
  5. ball — a dance
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. ball — a great time
  8. current — happening now
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. current — of water
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. squash — the sport
  13. chest — of your body
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cell — a phone
  16. chest — of your body
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. cell — in biology
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. squash — to crush
  24. coach — pulled by horses

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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