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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pit — a hole
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. spring — the season
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. can — a tin
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. spring — a coil
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. spring — of water
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. can — a tin
  18. branch — a division
  19. can — to be able to
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pit — in a race
  22. chair — a leader
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. coach — a trainer

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