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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. stand — to bear
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. rash — hasty
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. root — of a plant
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — boats
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cap — a lid
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. cap — a hat
  17. root — the cause
  18. cap — of ice
  19. root — of a word
  20. mine — for digging
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — to lash out

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