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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  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. foot — the bottom
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pit — in a race
  6. prune — to trim
  7. suit — in cards
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. rule — government
  10. suit — clothes
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. rule — a law
  15. bulb — for light
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. foot — a measure
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. pit — a hole
  23. snap — to click
  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