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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. suit — clothes
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. ground — the earth
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a line
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rule — a law
  12. ground — a position
  13. suit — to fit
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. ground — crushed
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. rule — government
  21. fine — high quality
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. pass — a permit

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