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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: rest · stick · fan · dip · march · jam · band · swing

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. rest — what's left
  5. swing — in golf
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. swing — music
  9. march — music
  10. band — a ring
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. swing — to play on
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. march — the month
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. rest — a break
  18. band — a music group
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. march — the month
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. dip — to sink
  24. rest — what's left

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