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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. fine — all right
  9. chip — to eat
  10. mug — a face
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. ball — a great time
  15. cap — a lid
  16. ball — a dance
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. mug — a cup
  19. date — the fruit
  20. mug — to rob
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — of ice
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. chip — for betting

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