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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. track — to keep track
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. staff — a stick
  6. date — the fruit
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. staff — employees
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. ground — the earth
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. chair — a leader
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. track — a path
  18. staff — employees
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. track — a song
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ground — a position
  24. rock — music

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