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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. mate — a friend
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. root — of a plant
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. can — a tin
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — to breed
  11. shower — rain
  12. can — to be able to
  13. toast — bread
  14. root — of a word
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. root — the cause
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. can — a tin
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ball — a great time
  24. shower — to wash

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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