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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. drill — a practice
  3. suit — to fit
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rock — music
  16. drill — the tool
  17. suit — clothes
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pit — in a race
  21. lie — to recline
  22. drill — army training
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. suit — in cards

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