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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.

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: fan · deal · present · stick · hand · march · bay · rush

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. present — a gift
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. present — there
  6. hand — help
  7. march — music
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. present — the time now
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. march — the month
  13. deal — to handle
  14. march — the month
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. hand — in cards
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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