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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. cap — a hat
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. suit — clothes
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. chip — for betting
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. cap — of ice
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. cap — a lid
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. suit — in cards
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bark — to shout

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