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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. press — newspapers
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. last — finally
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. wind — moving air
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. last — to go on
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. press — to push
  20. press — a publisher
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. last — final
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. dip — to sink

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