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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. object — a thing
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. roll — a list
  7. charge — electricity
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. charge — a price
  10. object — an aim
  11. press — newspapers
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. press — a publisher
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. object — to protest
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. press — to push
  19. charge — in control
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. roll — a cake
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. temple — a place of worship

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