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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lean — thin
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — moving air
  9. toast — bread
  10. lean — to bend
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fork — in a road
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. press — newspapers
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. press — to push
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. press — a publisher
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mouse — the animal

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