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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 120 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: chip · fan · wake · bear · kick · can · suit · bore

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. kick — in football
  4. suit — to fit
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wake — a trail
  9. can — a tin
  10. bear — the animal
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bore — to drill
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. can — a tin
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bore — to tire
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. suit — clothes
  21. chip — for betting
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. chip — in a computer

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