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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fine — all right
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. kick — in football
  6. craft — a skill
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. land — ground
  9. land — to come down
  10. fine — high quality
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. craft — boats
  17. deal — to handle
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — a division
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. land — a country

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