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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: fan · fork · spell · tube · deal · firm · chest · rush

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. chest — a box
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. chest — of your body
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. tube — a container
  12. spell — a short time
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. firm — steady
  15. tube — the underground
  16. spell — letters
  17. fork — in a road
  18. spell — magic
  19. rush — hurry
  20. deal — to handle
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. firm — a company
  23. chest — of your body
  24. firm — decided

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