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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cue — for pool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rule — a law
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. lean — to bend
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rule — government
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cue — a hint
  17. lean — thin
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — shares
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wax — to grow
  22. cue — a signal
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. lean — to rest against

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