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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. degree — temperature
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. tear — to rip
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. object — to protest
  9. degree — from a university
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. toast — bread
  13. object — an aim
  14. tear — from crying
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. degree — an amount
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. tear — from crying
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. deal — to handle
  22. object — a thing
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fan — a supporter

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