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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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Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. fall — the season
  6. file — a tool
  7. press — a publisher
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. tube — the underground
  10. fall — to drop
  11. press — newspapers
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. file — a line of people
  17. file — a document
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. saw — the tool
  20. tube — a container
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fall — to drop
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. temple — a place of worship

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