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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. fall — to drop
  3. press — to push
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. can — a tin
  7. press — a publisher
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. toast — bread
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. fork — in a road
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. firm — a company
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. pound — a weight
  18. can — to be able to
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — decided
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. can — a tin
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. press — newspapers

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