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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 116 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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. squash — to crush
  4. pop — soda
  5. mug — to rob
  6. present — the time now
  7. clip — for paper
  8. clip — to cut
  9. present — a gift
  10. clip — a video
  11. present — there
  12. squash — the sport
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. mug — a face
  16. pop — music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pop — to visit
  21. mug — a cup
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rock — music

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