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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. kid — child
  3. march — music
  4. fine — all right
  5. kid — to tease
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. march — the month
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fine — high quality
  13. chair — a leader
  14. march — the month
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. bank — for money
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bank — for money

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