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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bear — the animal
  8. chip — for betting
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. can — a tin
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. chip — to eat
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. can — to be able to
  21. mine — for digging
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. can — a tin
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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