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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: cap · suit · fan · scale · leaves · arm · snap · mug

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. cap — a lid
  3. mug — a face
  4. scale — size or range
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. snap — to click
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. scale — in music
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mug — a cup
  17. suit — to fit
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. cap — a hat
  20. mug — to rob
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. cap — of ice
  24. suit — clothes

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