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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: mouse · can · jam · bowl · cap · sharp · bay · fan

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. can — a tin
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. sharp — clever
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. can — a tin
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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