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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 116 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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. press — newspapers
  3. lie — to recline
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. game — a match
  7. snap — to click
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. mark — a grade
  13. spell — a short time
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. mark — a trace
  16. press — a publisher
  17. spell — letters
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. press — to push
  21. game — wild animals
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. spell — magic

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