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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. ball — a great time
  4. fork — in a road
  5. suit — clothes
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — a thing
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. squash — the sport
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. object — an aim
  19. ball — a dance
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. squash — to crush

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