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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — to bear
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. deal — to handle
  8. content — the amount
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. race — a contest
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. cap — of ice
  14. race — the arms race
  15. cap — a hat
  16. content — happy
  17. bass — the fish
  18. race — humankind
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. plane — a tool
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. cap — a lid

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