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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: date · chair · ball · fan · bulb · bay · net · wave

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. chair — a leader
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. ball — a great time
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. net — in sport
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. net — after costs
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bulb — for light
  19. net — for catching
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. ball — a dance

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