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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. staff — employees
  4. mug — to rob
  5. face — to confront
  6. staff — employees
  7. face — part of the head
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. press — a publisher
  11. mug — a cup
  12. spell — magic
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. spell — a short time
  16. current — happening now
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. mug — a face
  19. current — electric
  20. rest — a break
  21. face — to point toward
  22. current — of water
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. staff — a stick

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