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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pound — a weight
  10. press — to push
  11. press — a publisher
  12. saw — the tool
  13. lie — to recline
  14. press — newspapers
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. band — a music group
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. band — a ring
  20. wake — a trail
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. jam — in traffic

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