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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: fine · fan · cell · object · deal · mate · squash · rock

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. cell — in biology
  3. object — an aim
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. cell — a phone
  7. rock — music
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. fine — high quality
  10. rock — a stone
  11. deal — to handle
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fine — all right
  15. mate — a partner
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. object — to protest
  18. mate — a friend
  19. squash — the sport
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. mate — to breed
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. squash — to crush
  24. object — a thing

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