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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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. snap — to click
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. chip — for betting
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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