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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rest — a break
  3. prune — to trim
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. pass — a permit
  9. shower — to wash
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. rock — music
  16. shower — rain
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — hasty
  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