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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bark — to shout
  3. charge — electricity
  4. tear — from crying
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. rush — hurry
  7. charge — in control
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. can — a tin
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. can — to be able to
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. tear — to rip
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. tear — from crying
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. can — a tin
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. charge — a price
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

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