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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. press — a publisher
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. current — of water
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. press — newspapers
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. wind — moving air
  10. present — the time now
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. current — happening now
  14. press — to push
  15. fork — in a road
  16. present — there
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. current — electric
  19. present — a gift
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ball — a dance
  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