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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. craft — a skill
  3. spell — a short time
  4. shower — to wash
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. press — to push
  7. track — a song
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. press — newspapers
  13. can — to be able to
  14. spell — letters
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. track — a path
  17. press — a publisher
  18. shower — rain
  19. craft — boats
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. track — to keep track
  24. spell — magic

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