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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bank — for money
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bank — for money
  6. mark — a grade
  7. current — happening now
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. tear — from crying
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. mark — a trace
  13. current — electric
  14. tear — from crying
  15. press — to push
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bank — of a river
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bore — to tire
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bore — to drill
  23. tear — to rip
  24. current — of water

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