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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. march — music
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. march — the month
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. pound — a weight
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bank — of a river
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. march — the month
  18. bank — for money
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bank — for money
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bear — the animal

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