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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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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. press — to push
  3. mate — a friend
  4. spell — a short time
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. spell — letters
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. can — a tin
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. spell — magic
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mate — a partner
  15. press — a publisher
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. press — newspapers
  20. can — to be able to
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — moving air
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. mate — to breed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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