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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. shower — rain
  3. press — a publisher
  4. can — to be able to
  5. suit — clothes
  6. band — a music group
  7. lean — to bend
  8. press — to push
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. can — a tin
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. suit — in cards
  17. lean — thin
  18. band — a ring
  19. shower — to wash
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. press — newspapers
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. suit — to fit

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