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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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. press — to push
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. craft — boats
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. tube — the underground
  12. wind — moving air
  13. land — a country
  14. land — ground
  15. land — to come down
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. tube — a container
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. press — a publisher
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. craft — a skill
  24. tube — in a tire

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