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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  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. staff — employees
  3. can — a tin
  4. mark — a grade
  5. cap — a hat
  6. drill — army training
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cap — a lid
  9. pitch — completely
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. staff — employees
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bass — low music
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bass — the fish
  18. cap — of ice
  19. can — a tin
  20. drill — the tool
  21. staff — a stick
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. drill — a practice
  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