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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 120 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. fall — the season
  4. dip — to sink
  5. press — newspapers
  6. fall — to drop
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. press — a publisher
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. press — to push
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fall — to drop
  18. dip — to dunk

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