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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cap — of ice
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. present — the time now
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a line
  9. object — an aim
  10. present — a gift
  11. cap — a hat
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. present — there
  14. object — a thing
  15. fine — high quality
  16. object — to protest
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a skill
  20. fine — all right
  21. cap — a lid
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. fine — a penalty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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