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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
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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: rock · fan · field · pop · suit · scale · toast · fine

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pop — soda
  4. field — a subject
  5. pop — to visit
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. scale — size or range
  9. fine — all right
  10. rock — music
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. suit — to fit
  15. field — for sport
  16. suit — in cards
  17. field — farmland
  18. pop — music
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. scale — in music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. suit — clothes
  24. toast — bread

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