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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. press — a publisher
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mark — a trace
  6. club — a group
  7. face — to confront
  8. club — for dancing
  9. press — to push
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. face — part of the head
  12. press — newspapers
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mark — a grade
  16. face — to point toward
  17. club — for golf
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. squash — to crush
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. squash — the sport
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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