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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.

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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: fan · dip · object · current · net · season · swing · stand

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. dip — to sink
  3. object — to protest
  4. season — of the year
  5. swing — music
  6. object — an aim
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. swing — in golf
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. object — a thing
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. net — after costs
  15. season — in sport
  16. current — electric
  17. current — of water
  18. net — in sport
  19. current — happening now
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. swing — to play on
  23. net — for catching
  24. fan — to cool the air

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