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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mark — a trace
  5. stock — shares
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — a safe
  8. stock — goods
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. mark — a grade
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. toast — bread
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. season — of the year
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. season — in sport
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. fan — to cool the air

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