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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mug — to rob
  4. degree — from a university
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. degree — an amount
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. dip — to sink
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mug — a face
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mug — a cup
  20. rock — music
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rock — a stone
  24. degree — temperature

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