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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. press — newspapers
  5. date — the fruit
  6. can — a tin
  7. cell — a phone
  8. tear — to rip
  9. tear — from crying
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. cell — in biology
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. press — to push
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. can — a tin
  17. saw — the tool
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. press — a publisher
  22. can — to be able to
  23. tear — from crying
  24. date — on the calendar

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