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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  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. rush — a thrill
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. chip — to eat
  9. chip — for betting
  10. rest — what's left
  11. prune — to trim
  12. kid — child
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. kid — to tease
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rest — a break
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. bowl — a football final
  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