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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. march — music
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. march — the month
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rest — a break
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rash — hasty
  11. craft — boats
  12. rash — a series
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. bass — low music
  17. rest — what's left
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bass — the fish
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. deal — to handle
  22. craft — a skill
  23. march — the month
  24. deal — a big deal

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