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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. track — a song
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. rest — what's left
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. pit — a hole
  11. chest — of your body
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. chest — a box
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. rest — a break
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. track — a path
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bulb — for light

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