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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — clever
  4. fall — the season
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. can — a tin
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. row — a line
  12. can — a tin
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mark — a trace
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. fall — to drop
  21. row — to paddle
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. can — to be able to
  24. row — a quarrel

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