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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cap — of ice
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cue — a hint
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. cap — a lid
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — to crush
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cap — a hat
  20. squash — the sport
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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