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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. fork — in a road
  4. press — newspapers
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. press — to push
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. press — a publisher
  14. wind — moving air
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. rash — hasty
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — with your hand

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