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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pop — music
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. pop — to visit
  6. press — to push
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pop — soda
  9. charge — a price
  10. press — newspapers
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. charge — in control
  17. tear — to rip
  18. wax — to grow
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. press — a publisher
  21. tear — from crying
  22. root — of a word
  23. tear — from crying
  24. charge — electricity

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