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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  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. rash — on the skin
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. can — a tin
  5. deal — to handle
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. land — a country
  8. content — the amount
  9. content — happy
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. chip — to eat
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. land — to come down
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. chip — for betting
  18. can — a tin
  19. rash — a series
  20. can — to be able to
  21. land — ground
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. rash — hasty
  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