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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. ground — crushed
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. mug — to rob
  9. pit — a hole
  10. ground — a position
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. mug — a face
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. mug — a cup
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. pit — in a race
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ground — the earth
  24. squash — the sport

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