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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. object — an aim
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. net — for catching
  9. net — in sport
  10. rock — music
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. craft — boats
  13. cue — for pool
  14. object — to protest
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. object — a thing
  17. net — after costs
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. rock — a stone
  20. press — a publisher
  21. cue — a signal
  22. press — newspapers
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. cue — a hint

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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