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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. chair — a leader
  4. root — of a word
  5. spell — magic
  6. saw — the tool
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. spell — a short time
  10. vault — a safe
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. root — of a plant
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. root — the cause
  19. cue — for pool
  20. spell — letters
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. fan — a supporter

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