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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. date — the fruit
  3. lie — to recline
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. press — a publisher
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. current — happening now
  8. press — newspapers
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. game — a match
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. current — of water
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. toast — bread
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. press — to push
  22. current — electric
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. lie — an untruth

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