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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. charge — in control
  3. rock — a stone
  4. shower — to wash
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bat — the animal
  11. shower — rain
  12. charge — a price
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — a signal
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. cue — for pool
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. rock — music
  20. staff — employees
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. lie — to recline

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