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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. rush — hurry
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. track — to keep track
  14. foot — a measure
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. track — a song
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. track — a path
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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