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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. dip — to sink
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. present — a gift
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. tube — the underground
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. present — the time now
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. saw — the tool
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. firm — a company
  15. craft — a skill
  16. firm — steady
  17. present — there
  18. firm — decided
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. saw — the tool
  23. tube — a container
  24. pitcher — a jug

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