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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. press — to push
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. craft — boats
  8. object — an aim
  9. press — newspapers
  10. stand — to bear
  11. object — a thing
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. press — a publisher
  16. craft — a skill
  17. object — to protest
  18. pound — a weight
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. lean — to bend
  23. mine — for digging
  24. lean — thin

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