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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 120 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bass — low music
  5. prune — to trim
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. season — in sport
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bear — the animal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. season — of the year
  24. chip — to eat

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