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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pass — a permit
  3. tube — the underground
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. kid — to tease
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — a container
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. kid — child

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