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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rock — a stone
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. row — a line
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. chest — of your body
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bore — to tire
  9. row — to paddle
  10. toast — bread
  11. chest — a box
  12. rock — music
  13. chest — of your body
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bore — to drill
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. fan — a supporter

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