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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fork — in a road
  5. press — a publisher
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. band — a music group
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. ground — crushed
  12. band — a ring
  13. press — newspapers
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. charge — electricity
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ground — a position
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. ground — the earth
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. press — to push
  24. charge — a price

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