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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: fine · hide · pit · track · fan · cell · suit · band

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. suit — to fit
  4. track — a path
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. band — a ring
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. track — a song
  10. fine — all right
  11. pit — in a race
  12. fine — high quality
  13. cell — a phone
  14. suit — in cards
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cell — in biology
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. suit — clothes
  23. band — a music group
  24. track — to keep track

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