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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: march · bear · fork · fan · saw · press · ruler · charge

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. saw — the tool
  5. march — music
  6. charge — electricity
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. charge — a price
  9. saw — the tool
  10. press — a publisher
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fork — in a road
  13. march — the month
  14. press — to push
  15. charge — in control
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. press — newspapers
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. march — the month

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