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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. key — the most important part
  3. suit — in cards
  4. plane — a tool
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fine — all right
  7. suit — clothes
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. key — in music
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fine — high quality
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. suit — to fit
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. key — for a lock
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. shower — to wash
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. shower — rain
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. charge — a price

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