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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pit — in a race
  3. key — for a lock
  4. chair — a leader
  5. key — the most important part
  6. toast — bread
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bank — of a river
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. key — in music
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. pit — a hole
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bank — for money
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. face — to confront
  21. bank — for money
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. face — part of the head

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