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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 120 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. spell — a short time
  3. row — a line
  4. row — to paddle
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. object — an aim
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pound — a weight
  13. charge — in control
  14. spell — letters
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. object — to protest
  17. fine — high quality
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. fine — all right
  20. object — a thing
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. charge — a price
  23. spell — magic
  24. cabinet — ministers

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