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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bank — of a river
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. scale — size or range
  12. face — to point toward
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bank — for money
  15. scale — in music
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bass — low music
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bank — for money
  24. bass — the instrument

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