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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: bowl · pit · spell · suit · fork · fan · tear · racket

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — from crying
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. suit — to fit
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pit — in a race
  7. spell — a short time
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. spell — letters
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. spell — magic
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. suit — in cards
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. tear — to rip
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bowl — to roll

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