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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. press — newspapers
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. pop — music
  6. press — to push
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. degree — from a university
  11. pop — soda
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. degree — temperature
  14. pop — to visit
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. press — a publisher
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. degree — an amount
  20. mine — for digging
  21. stem — to come from
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. fan — a supporter

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