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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  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. mate — to breed
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fine — all right
  5. rash — a series
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — a weight
  8. club — for dancing
  9. present — there
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. present — a gift
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — decided
  16. mate — a friend
  17. fine — high quality
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. club — for golf
  20. present — the time now
  21. club — a group
  22. rash — hasty
  23. mate — a partner
  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