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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  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. racket — for tennis
  3. drill — army training
  4. mine — for digging
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. race — a contest
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — to breed
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. mate — a friend
  14. drill — a practice
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. drill — the tool
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. race — humankind
  20. race — the arms race
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. fan — a supporter
  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