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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bulb — for light
  6. staff — employees
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. staff — employees
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. dip — to sink
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. staff — a stick
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. mine — for digging
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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