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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. season — in sport
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. fall — the season
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. ground — the earth
  11. season — of the year
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ground — crushed
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — to drop
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — newspapers
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. ground — a position
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. press — to push
  24. season — to add flavour

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