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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fork — in a road
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. land — to come down
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — size or range
  18. land — ground
  19. foot — a measure
  20. deal — to handle
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. land — a country
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. hide — animal skin

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