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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. mug — a cup
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mug — a face
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rush — hurry
  13. pit — a hole
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. suit — in cards
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bat — the animal
  19. mug — to rob
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pit — in a race

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