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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. spell — magic
  5. swing — to play on
  6. lean — to bend
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. swing — in golf
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bat — the animal
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. swing — music
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. spell — a short time
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. spell — letters
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bat — in an idiom

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