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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. ground — a position
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bank — of a river
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bat — the animal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bank — for money
  17. ground — crushed
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bank — for money
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. ground — the earth
  22. stand — to bear
  23. ball — a dance
  24. fan — to cool the air

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