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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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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: dip · wake · fan · tear · press · temple · safe · ruler

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. tear — from crying
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. press — a publisher
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. tear — from crying
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wake — a trail
  15. press — newspapers
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. dip — to sink
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. tear — to rip
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. safe — a strongbox

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