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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 116 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. dip — to sink
  3. file — a tool
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — to protest
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. file — a line of people
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a dance
  15. file — a document
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ball — a great time
  18. wound — an injury
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. object — an aim
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bay — a horse colour

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