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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 · mate · chip · fork · mug · wind · foot · bass

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bass — the fish
  6. mug — to rob
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. mate — a friend
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. foot — a measure
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bass — low music
  14. chip — for betting
  15. fork — in a road
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. wind — moving air
  21. mate — a partner
  22. chip — to eat
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mug — a cup

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