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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. toast — bread
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. object — to protest
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. object — a thing
  17. march — the month
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bank — of a river
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. march — music
  23. object — an aim
  24. march — the month

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