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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. lie — to recline
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. board — to get on
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. current — of water
  10. track — to keep track
  11. current — electric
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. track — a song
  17. board — a committee
  18. current — happening now
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. plane — a tool
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. track — a path

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