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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 124 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. fall — the season
  3. roll — a cake
  4. craft — boats
  5. press — a publisher
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — electric
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. press — newspapers
  10. mark — a grade
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. mark — a trace
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. snap — to click
  16. fall — to drop
  17. press — to push
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. current — of water
  20. craft — a skill
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. roll — a list
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. fall — to drop

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