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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. press — newspapers
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. file — a tool
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. file — a document
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. foot — a measure
  14. press — a publisher
  15. toast — bread
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. press — to push
  18. file — a line of people

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