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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. press — newspapers
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. firm — a company
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. press — a publisher
  12. mate — a partner
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. firm — steady
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. mate — a friend
  18. press — to push
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. firm — decided
  21. mate — to breed
  22. pit — a hole
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. wind — moving air

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