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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. object — a thing
  3. toast — bread
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. file — a line of people
  6. file — a tool
  7. press — a publisher
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — in cards
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rash — hasty
  14. press — newspapers
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. suit — to fit
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. file — a document
  19. rock — music
  20. rash — a series
  21. object — an aim
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. press — to push

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