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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cell — in biology
  3. stock — shares
  4. kid — to tease
  5. stock — goods
  6. swing — in golf
  7. plane — a tool
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. mate — a partner
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. mate — to breed
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. kid — child
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. cell — a phone
  17. swing — music
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. swing — to play on
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. mate — a friend

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