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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: racket · mate · rush · fan · wake · bay · craft · face

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. mate — a friend
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. face — to confront
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. wake — a trail
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. face — to point toward
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. craft — boats
  24. face — part of the head

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