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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: sharp · fan · lean · cabinet · club · cap · rush · fine

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. cap — of ice
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cap — a lid
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — clever
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fine — high quality
  11. club — for golf
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fine — all right
  15. cap — a hat
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. club — for dancing
  19. lean — to bend
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. club — a group
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. rush — hurry

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