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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pop — music
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. charge — in control
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. charge — a price
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — an injury
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pop — soda
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. net — for catching
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. net — after costs
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. pop — to visit
  21. charge — electricity
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. net — in sport
  24. ruler — for measuring

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