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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. march — the month
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. swing — in golf
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. march — music
  10. hand — in cards
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. rock — a stone
  13. swing — to play on
  14. hand — help
  15. mug — a face
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mug — a cup
  18. march — the month
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. swing — music
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mug — to rob
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. rock — music

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