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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. row — a line
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. row — to paddle
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. pop — to visit
  11. suit — to fit
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. suit — in cards
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pop — soda
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. suit — clothes
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. pop — music
  24. leaves — lets stay

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