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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fall — the season
  3. degree — temperature
  4. object — an aim
  5. bass — the fish
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bass — low music
  8. degree — an amount
  9. face — to point toward
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. face — part of the head
  12. object — a thing
  13. rock — a stone
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. degree — from a university
  16. object — to protest
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fall — to drop
  19. face — to confront
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rock — music
  24. bass — the instrument

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