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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. wind — moving air
  5. suit — to fit
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. march — music
  8. perch — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. march — the month
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. suit — in cards
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wind — moving air
  22. march — the month
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. suit — clothes

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