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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. plane — a tool
  3. snap — to click
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. pop — music
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. chair — a leader
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pop — soda
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. deal — to handle
  21. pop — to visit
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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