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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. mate — to breed
  3. saw — the tool
  4. object — a thing
  5. press — to push
  6. saw — the tool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. mate — a friend
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. press — newspapers
  11. cue — for pool
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cue — a signal
  15. object — an aim
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mate — a partner
  18. degree — temperature
  19. degree — from a university
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. degree — an amount
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. press — a publisher

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