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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. track — a path
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. face — to point toward
  10. kick — in football
  11. key — in music
  12. kid — to tease
  13. face — part of the head
  14. firm — steady
  15. track — to keep track
  16. key — the most important part
  17. track — a song
  18. kid — child
  19. key — for a lock
  20. firm — a company
  21. face — to confront
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. firm — decided

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