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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bass — the fish
  4. lean — thin
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. mark — a trace
  9. lean — to bend
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. mark — a grade
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. tube — a container
  14. bass — low music
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. chip — for betting
  17. tube — the underground
  18. craft — a skill
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. craft — boats
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. mark — to pay attention

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