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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 124 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'll be taking the ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. tube — the underground
  3. mark — a grade
  4. face — to point toward
  5. can — a tin
  6. toast — bread
  7. scale — size or range
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. can — a tin
  11. mark — a trace
  12. face — to confront
  13. scale — in music
  14. face — part of the head
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. tube — a container
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. can — to be able to
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — a tool

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