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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stem — to come from
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. staff — employees
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. pop — soda
  13. press — a publisher
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. pop — to visit
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. press — newspapers
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. pop — music
  20. tear — from crying
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. tear — to rip
  23. tear — from crying
  24. press — to push

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