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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — a match
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. deal — to handle
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stem — to come from
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. stem — of a plant

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