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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 120 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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. chest — a box
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — electricity
  7. press — newspapers
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. charge — in control
  10. press — to push
  11. chest — of your body
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. cap — of ice
  15. chest — of your body
  16. cap — a hat
  17. suit — in cards
  18. press — a publisher
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. cap — a lid
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. suit — clothes

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