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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 116 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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  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. tube — the underground
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fine — all right
  5. rock — a stone
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. row — a line
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fine — high quality
  15. tube — a container
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stand — to bear
  18. rock — music
  19. rest — a break
  20. row — to paddle
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rock — to move gently
  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