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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. last — finally
  3. last — final
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. cap — a lid
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. ball — a great time
  10. last — to go on
  11. bound — obliged
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. current — of water
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — of ice
  17. ball — a dance
  18. craft — a skill
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. current — electric
  21. current — happening now
  22. bound — certain
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. craft — boats

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