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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bass — the fish
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pit — a hole
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. root — of a plant
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bass — low music
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. chair — a leader
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a word
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. pit — in a race
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bass — the instrument

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