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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. rest — what's left
  6. season — of the year
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. season — in sport
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — tied together
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pit — a hole
  17. rest — a break
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bound — certain
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. fan — a supporter

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