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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. squash — to crush
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stand — to bear
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. kid — child
  9. key — in music
  10. squash — the sport
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — the most important part
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. kid — to tease
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. fan — a supporter

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