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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: pass · sharp · snap · fine · row · fan · suit · track

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. row — to paddle
  5. fine — all right
  6. track — to keep track
  7. suit — clothes
  8. track — a path
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. sharp — clever
  12. suit — to fit
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. track — a song
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. suit — in cards
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to click
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — high quality

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