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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 120 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. track — a path
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mug — to rob
  7. can — a tin
  8. rash — a series
  9. can — a tin
  10. present — there
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. present — a gift
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. track — to keep track
  17. present — the time now
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. can — to be able to
  21. track — a song
  22. mug — a cup
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rash — hasty

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