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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.

Make a worksheet

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: date · bowl · dip · press · mug · saw · charge · tear

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. dip — to sink
  3. charge — in control
  4. mug — to rob
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. charge — electricity
  9. mug — a face
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. charge — a price
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. tear — to rip
  14. mug — a cup
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — the fruit
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. saw — the tool
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. press — a publisher
  21. saw — the tool
  22. press — to push
  23. tear — from crying
  24. press — newspapers

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