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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 120 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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. file — a line of people
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. march — music
  5. scale — in music
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. object — a thing
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. object — to protest
  11. charge — in control
  12. file — a document
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. charge — electricity
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. march — the month
  17. march — the month
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. file — a tool
  20. charge — a price
  21. object — an aim
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. scale — size or range

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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