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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. can — a tin
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. rash — a series
  7. bound — obliged
  8. shower — rain
  9. rash — hasty
  10. season — of the year
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bound — tied together
  13. can — to be able to
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pop — music
  19. can — a tin
  20. shower — to wash
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bound — certain
  23. season — in sport
  24. bowl — a dish

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