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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pit — a hole
  3. cue — a hint
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — of a plant
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. root — the cause
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. spell — magic
  10. cue — for pool
  11. spell — a short time
  12. cue — a signal
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. pit — in a race
  15. rash — hasty
  16. spell — letters
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. club — for dancing
  19. rash — a series
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. chair — a leader
  23. club — for golf
  24. club — a group

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