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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. snap — to click
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bore — to tire
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. race — a contest
  11. pit — in a race
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. race — the arms race
  14. race — humankind
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bore — to drill
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bear — 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