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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. suit — in cards
  3. drill — a practice
  4. suit — clothes
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. roll — a list
  9. land — a country
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. roll — a cake
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. drill — army training
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. land — ground
  17. land — to come down
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — an injury
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. drill — the tool
  23. suit — to fit
  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