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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. suit — to fit
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — the fruit
  10. kick — in football
  11. suit — in cards
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. deal — to handle
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. fan — a supporter

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