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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 120 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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  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. band — a music group
  3. key — the most important part
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. key — in music
  8. wind — moving air
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. band — a ring
  12. prune — to trim
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. suit — to fit
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wind — moving air
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. prune — to trim
  23. fan — to cool the air
  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