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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. shower — to wash
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. shower — rain
  12. perch — the fish
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. plane — a tool
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. stand — to bear

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