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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 120 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. fall — the season
  5. fall — to drop
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. charge — a price
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. fall — to drop
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. press — to push
  13. saw — the tool
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. branch — a division
  17. charge — in control
  18. press — newspapers
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. press — a publisher
  24. charge — electricity

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