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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rash — hasty
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. club — a group
  11. last — final
  12. club — for dancing
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rash — a series
  15. last — to go on
  16. plane — a tool
  17. suit — to fit
  18. shower — to wash
  19. last — finally
  20. suit — in cards
  21. shower — rain
  22. chip — for betting
  23. suit — clothes
  24. club — for golf

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