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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. rock — music
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. squash — the sport
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rock — a stone
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. squash — to crush
  16. chair — a leader
  17. spell — a short time
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. spell — letters
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. jam — a tight spot

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