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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. date — the fruit
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. capital — money
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. suit — to fit
  19. can — a tin
  20. suit — in cards
  21. capital — a city
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — hurry

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