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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. craft — boats
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. date — the fruit
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. chest — of your body
  10. suit — in cards
  11. craft — a skill
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pop — music
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. suit — to fit
  16. pop — to visit
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — a box
  20. suit — clothes
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. pop — soda
  24. craft — a handicraft

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