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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pit — a hole
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. root — of a plant
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pass — a permit
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. root — the cause
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. plane — a tool
  17. root — of a word
  18. sharp — clever
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pit — in a race
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. plane — an aircraft

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