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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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cue — for pool
  4. drill — a practice
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. cue — a hint
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. drill — army training
  13. current — electric
  14. hand — in cards
  15. current — happening now
  16. hand — help
  17. drill — the tool
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. plane — a tool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. current — of water
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. saw — the tool

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