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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. lean — to bend
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. tube — a container
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. tube — the underground
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. band — a ring
  12. ball — a dance
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. lean — thin
  17. band — a music group
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ball — a great time
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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