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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. row — to paddle
  4. ground — the earth
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. root — of a word
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. ground — a position
  13. root — the cause
  14. row — a line
  15. plane — a tool
  16. ground — crushed
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. root — of a plant
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fine — all right
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fine — high quality

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