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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. clip — to cut
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. branch — a division
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. shower — to wash
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. shower — rain
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. clip — for paper
  18. clip — a video
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mouse — the animal

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