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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. current — happening now
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. current — of water
  10. bank — for money
  11. ball — a dance
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. mug — a cup
  14. ball — a great time
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. snap — to click
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mug — a face
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. foot — a measure
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. wound — an injury
  24. current — electric

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