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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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. club — a group
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. charge — in control
  7. club — for dancing
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. charge — a price
  12. scale — in music
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mine — for digging
  15. cap — a hat
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. cap — a lid
  19. mug — a face
  20. cap — of ice
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. scale — size or range
  23. club — for golf
  24. scale — for weighing

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