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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. press — to push
  3. rest — what's left
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. object — a thing
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. tube — the underground
  13. row — to paddle
  14. rest — a break
  15. row — a line
  16. press — newspapers
  17. saw — the tool
  18. fork — in a road
  19. object — to protest
  20. tube — a container
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. object — an aim
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. bay — a horse colour

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