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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. bank — for money
  5. key — in music
  6. tear — from crying
  7. hand — in cards
  8. tear — from crying
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. ball — a great time
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ball — a dance
  17. hand — help
  18. tear — to rip
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — the most important part
  22. chair — a leader
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. can — a tin

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