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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. present — the time now
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. rock — a stone
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. wind — moving air
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. season — in sport
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. season — of the year
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. wind — moving air
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. rock — music
  22. kid — to tease
  23. kid — child
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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