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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.

Make a worksheet

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: can · fan · leaves · mate · snap · racket · row · mug

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mug — a face
  4. row — a line
  5. mate — a partner
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. snap — to click
  8. can — a tin
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. can — to be able to
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. can — a tin
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mate — to breed
  24. row — to paddle

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