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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. press — to push
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — from crying
  5. scale — size or range
  6. can — to be able to
  7. press — newspapers
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. tear — to rip
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. stand — to bear
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. press — a publisher
  18. can — a tin
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. scale — in music
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. can — a tin

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