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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. land — ground
  5. lie — to recline
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — moving air
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. land — a country
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. press — a publisher
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. press — to push
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. press — newspapers
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. arm — part of the body

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