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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: present · fan · row · deal · mark · suit

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. suit — clothes
  4. present — there
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. row — to paddle
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. suit — in cards
  10. deal — to handle
  11. mark — a grade
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. row — a line
  14. present — a gift
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. suit — to fit
  18. present — the time now

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