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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. wound — an injury
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. key — the most important part
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — in music
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rush — hurry
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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