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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. dip — to sink
  4. perch — the fish
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fine — all right

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