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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 120 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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  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. stand — on your feet
  3. pop — soda
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. pop — music
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. stand — to bear
  11. net — for catching
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — after costs
  15. kick — in football
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. chair — a leader
  22. bark — to shout
  23. pop — to visit
  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