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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. press — newspapers
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. craft — boats
  5. cap — a hat
  6. wind — moving air
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cap — a lid
  9. press — a publisher
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. date — the fruit
  14. cue — a hint
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. cue — for pool
  17. press — to push
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. lean — to bend
  20. cue — a signal
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. craft — a skill
  23. cap — of ice
  24. date — on the calendar

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