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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bank — of a river
  5. cue — for pool
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. net — in sport
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — for catching
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. present — a gift
  14. stand — to bear
  15. present — there
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bank — for money
  18. present — the time now
  19. bank — for money
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — a signal
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. fan — a supporter

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