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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. deal — to handle
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. dip — to sink
  6. cell — a phone
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. cell — in biology
  11. tear — from crying
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. press — to push
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. tear — from crying
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. tear — to rip
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. snap — to click
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — newspapers
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. dip — a sauce

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