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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. can — a tin
  3. foot — a measure
  4. object — a thing
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. can — to be able to
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — for catching
  11. object — to protest
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. can — a tin
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. object — an aim
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. staff — employees
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. net — in sport
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — the bottom

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